The directory system allows you to create your own backlink code using .html, however, if you are not comfortable with .html you can use the Text area to have the .html code automatically created. The multi-lingual capabilities are available for the Backlinks feature, so you can have one unique backlink per language. This feature can be found in the Sitemgr -> Settings -> Backlinks.

In order to create a backlink please do the following:

Step 1. Type in the unique .html Code for the backlink and click Save, or if you are uncomfortable with HTML you can alternatively do the following:

1b. In the Text area, please type in the text that you would like to see for the Backlink. Click Generate HTML. In doing this the .html code will automatically appear in the HTML Code area. Click Save

Step 2. Copy and paste the code inside the HTML Code area onto an external site to link back to your eDirectory system.

If you have an existing SugarCRM integration you will need the following information to verify the details and connect to your account:

• SugarCRM URL
• User Name
• Password

Once you have added in your SugarCRM URL, User Name, and Password details please hit ‘Verify’. Once the details have been verified you will be prompted to download and grab the plug-in in an archive. Please be sure to follow your unique step by step instructions to finalize the configuration.

You can find out more information regarding SugarCRM at:

http://www.sugarcrm.com/crm/

You can find out more information and register for a Twilio account at:

http://www.twilio.com/pricing/

Once an account is setup, or if you have an existing account, you will need the following pieces of information to properly setup the Click to Call and SMS Messaging system:

• Twilio Account SID
• AuthTokin
• Twilio Number

Once you have acquired the three required pieces of information you will need to input them into appropriate fields inside the Sitemgr -> Settings -> Click to Call & Send to Phone. It is important to select which options you would like available to end users, Click to Call / Send to Phone. The sitemgr also has the ability to configure their own ‘Click to Call’ Message. Once all the information has been properly configured please click ‘Submit’.

If you choose to enable create a Twilio account and enable these features then two small icons will appear on the business listing summary view and detail view (Diamond Level Only). The SMS Messaging system will be labeled as ‘Send to Phone’ and the Click to Call feature will be labeled as ‘Click to Call’:

The email will include the following statistical information:

• Summary Page Views
• Detail Page Views
• Click-Thru
• E-Mail
• Phone
• Fax
• Send to Phone (if enabled by the Sitemgr)
• Click to Call (if enabled by the Sitemgr)

Each statistic is triggered by the following site visitor’s action:

• Summary Page View – A visitor views a listing summary on a results page.
• Detail Page View – A visitor clicks on the summary view and is taken to a listing detail page.
• Click-Thru – A visitor clicks on the website URL
• E-Mail – A visitor clicks the link to ‘Send an e-mail’
• Phone – A visitor clicks the link to ‘View Phone’
• Fax – A visitor clicks the link to ‘View Fax’
• Send to Phone – A visitor clicks the ‘Send to Phone’ Icon
• Click to Call – A visitor clicks the ‘Click to Call’ Icon

NOTE: If a listing has a detail page, the clicks will be tracked from the detail page as well.

When the system generates the email it will be sent to the email address that is registered for the Listings Account. The emial will look like:

Once you have added images into your slider it will begin to resemble the following:

Please follow the instructions below to add content to your Homepage Image Slider:

Step 1. Please click on the Arrow relating to the Slide you wish to open.

Step 2. Once the Slide Option opens you will need to fill out the following information:

• Title
• Summary Description (250 Character Maximum)
• Upload Image (440 x 248 px) in .jpg | .gif | .png format. Please not transparent .gif or .png not accepted.
• URL Link
• Alternative Text
• Image Title

Step 3. Click Submit

Step 4. Please repeat the process to add multiple slides.

The discount information field has the option to type the promotion fixed value or the percentage.

The content appears at the category results page.

Importing Data

Importing is the process of acquiring data produced by another application. The ability to import data is essential in software applications because it means that one application can complement another.

In eDirectory, the import feature is used by the Site Manager when he/she wants to get some data from his/her local PC and bring them inside his/her account. Normally, these files are in Microsoft Excel format and contain a series of listings. The import process can save the sitemgr significant time compared to adding each listing into the system manually one by one.

For a file to be imported in to eDirectory, it needs to be in CSV format. CSV (short for Comma Separated Values) is a common and simple file format that is often used for moving tabular data between a database and a spreadsheet application.

The creation of the initial .csv file can be a bit complex, however, we will teach you some techniques on how to create and import one. Please follow the instructions below.

To create a CSV file, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Data Management menu and after that, click on Import sub-menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:
2. Click on the Download the CSV template button. Then, save the file to your local PC.



The sample file is necessary because it comes preformatted to fit your directory as well as already being in .csv format.  Editing the sample file is the method that we advise you to use because it will save you time and help avoid formatting errors.

3. Open the file in a spreadsheet application (preferably MS Excel).
4. Do the necessary changes in the file. Please note the five following hints to help with proper formatting of the file:
   • Do      not add any new columns to the spreadsheet
   • Do      not remove any columns from the spreadsheet
   • Do      not change any of the header titles that you see in row #1
   • It      is okay to leave cells blank for which you do not have information for
   • The      only required fields to get the import file to properly run are Listing      Title and Category.
5. Once you are done editing the file, save it and prepare yourself for the next procedure.

Before you perform the import process, it is recommended you review and adjust the Import Settings, as necessary, first. Why? Through the settings, you can pre-set the properties (e.g., Status, Level and Owner) of the listings that you will import.

To change the Import Settings, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Data Management menu.
2. Then, click on the Import Settings sub-menu. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:



3. The  import file comes from export section option should only be enabled if you  exported the data from your edirectory and want to re-import them into the  system.
4. To auto-activate the listings that you  will be importing: Check the Enable all  imported listings as Active option. We recommend using this option if you  want the imported listings to be visible in the directory front right away  after the import process.
5. Update  listings alike option allows you to update existent listings in your  eDirectory system. If this option is enabled, the listings that already exist in your system will be updated instead of a duplicate listing being  created. For that, the fields Listing ID and Legacy ID in your CSV file must match with the values in your eDirectory and the field Updated Date must be  higher than the actual value in the system. If your CSV file comes from Export Section,  these fields will be filled with the values in your eDirectory. If your data  comes from other resource, you can fill the Legacy ID column with the IDs from  this system for future reference.
6. The Start  import automatically after upload CSV file option is useful when you do not  want to approve any import process after upload the CSV file.
7. You should enable Import all new categories as featured option if you want all the  imported categories to be featured categories.
8. To set a level for those listings that  do not have it in the CSV file you should select the level (e.g., Free, Basic,  etc.) in the dropdown list provided in the Default level for imported listings without level option.
9. To set an owner for those listings that  do not have it in the CSV file:
   1. Check the  Import listings to the same account option.
   2. In the Account box, type the Company or  E-mail of  the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   3. Choose  the Member by clicking on the Select button.
10. Click on the Submit button.

To import the CSV file, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Data Management menu. After doing this, click on the Import sub-menu and then click on Import a file button. Look for the area shown below:



2. Click on the Browse button to select the CSV file that you saved earlier on your local PC.
3. After this, a preview of your file will be shown and you will be able to check if everything is ok before import.



4. Through the preview, you will be able to check if your file is in the appropriate format to be imported. You can use special separators different of recommended which is comma, however, if you use one of those special separators, check the Custom option and enter the separator used. Your file should appear in the preview the same way as a comma-separated file appears: in columns.
5. After verifying the file, click on the Import button.

After import process, you will be redirected to Import Log sub-menu. A page will appear  like the one shown below:

You can have the following status after importing a file:

• If the Status of the file that you imported is Pending, it means that the application is still processing the import;
• If it’s Error, a mistake has occurred during the import process that made it impossible to import the file or the file configuration is wrong;
• If it’s Stopped means that you stop the import process before the completion of the import process;
• If it’s Cancelled, means that you performed a rollback of the imported file;
• If it’s Finished, it means that the items contained in the file have been added successfully in the system.

You can also import a file directly from a FTP. For this, in the left navigation panel, click on the Data Management menu and then click on Import
sub-menu. After that, click on Import a file button and choose the Select File by FTP tab.

A list of files available for import will be displayed and you can select which one to import. If the file contains more than 100,000 lines, a task is scheduled to prepare the file to import. Subsequently, the file will be imported. The process can take several minutes depending on the size of the selected file.

After select a file, the process is the same shown above for import without using FTP.

New import process

The import interface has been changed and now it is focused on user experience.

The ability to update existing listings through the import process was included.

And now you also can preview the file before you import it.

W3C Validation

The HTML and XHTML of the front-end is now validated.

URLs SEO friendly

Some URLs were changed and now are SEO friendly.

Turkish language

One more language has been added in to the application – Turkish.

Categories have content

A new field was added to the categories and now the site manager can add content to a specific category.

Deals: Image upload and discount information changed

The crop tool was changed and now the user needs to upload an image 200px x 200px.

The discount information field has the option to type the promotion fixed value or the percentage.

Site manager can configure the Payment Currency

The site manager can change the currency

The system now accepts PNG files:

In this new version, all the image upload fields are now accepting png files. (NOTE: Transparent png files are not accepted)

Location Hierarchy can now be changed:

In the new version, if the site manager/sponsor added locations to the wrong hierarchy, the site manager can make a bulk update or edit the location to put it in the right place. After which a cronjob will run (the cronjob runs every 5 minutes) to update all the items related to the affected location.

Check in on Listings for iPhone users

In this version, the eDirectory for iPhone now has a “check-in” feature. The user must be logged on to his directory or Facebook account to use this. If a user searches for any listing, the check-in option will appear in the summary and detail pages. If a user checks in, the information will be posted on his Facebook feed as well as on Twitter, once the site manager configures the Twitter key.

Brand New Theme

In the new version, a new theme named ‘eDirectory Default’ is now used as a default theme, replacing the old default theme which was renamed to ‘eDirectory Version 7’.

Link your accounts to Facebook and/or Twitter

If the user has a directory account he can link his Facebook and/or Twitter account to the directory account. If the user uses a Facebook account to sign in at the directory, he can link his Twitter account to this account.

The GeoIP Feature

In this new version, the ‘where’ field is now integrated with the geoIP feature to show the user’s current location. If the user signs in on the directory with his Facebook account, he can use the Location he has on his Facebook settings to be the default ‘where’ location on the directory.

Promotion Feature

What’s new?
Upon adding a new deal, you will notice the new fields that were integrated in the feature:

The sponsor can now choose if the deal will be visible for 24 hours (until the end date set) or only for a specific hour range. He needs to fill out the ‘item value‘ (regular value) and the ‘deal value‘ (value with discount), and the amount of deals available.

The users/visitors have to redeem the deal to avail the discount offered by the sponsor. They can also redeem it by posting it to their Facebook wall. The users can also write a review for the Deal.

Another enhancement made is the detail page now available for the “deals” intead of a normal thickbox. This will allow the users to read more information about the deal.

Facebook Account
The user needs to sign in with his Facebook account to print the Deal, and the deal will be posted to the user’s Facebook wall. When the user signs in with his Facebook account, a new account is created at the directory wherein he can also link this account to his Twitter account. So when the user redeems the deal, it will be posted on both accounts: Facebook and Twitter.

The site manager can configure the Deal to be redeemed without the Facebook login. In this case the user can redeem the deal using the directory account or by email.

Adding A Package

To add a new package, go to sitemgr>Packages and select add. The sitemgr has to put the first two important settings first, which is to select what package to offer if a client will take advantage of a particular module level.

It can be any of the following example:
1. for a different site: If you buy a showcase listing at site#1 you can add a listing showcase at the site#2 for a half price (or set a specific price)
2. for the same site: If you buy a showcase listing you can add an article for free
3. custom: If you buy a showcase listing you will get a FREE item

The site manager can add different packages, but only 1 package can be activated for each module level.

The packages are offered to the sponsors when they purchase an item at the Sign Up page or at the Sponsor Area (depending if you have created a package for the level that the sponsor will purchase).

NOTE: The site manager is not able to create a package for the Banners module. However, the banner could be offered with a discount

To modify the navigation, simply go to Sitemgr->Site Content->Navigation Configuration. Choose which navigation you would want to modify, (header or footer) by clicking on it.

Upon choosing a section to modify (in this case we will be using the header section), a thickbox will appear, wherein you will have an option to add a new link or delete an existing link (which you can restore anytime by clicking on the restore button). You can also easily drag the links if you want to reposition them.

Adding A New Link

When the sitemgr adds a new link, by default it will be placed on the first row beside the home button. You can add an external link on the navigation, or from a custom page (NOTE: if there is still no custom page, it will ask you if you want to create a new one) that was created on sitemgr.

You can also individually insert a module page if you have deleted them in the past and you want to add a specific module again by clicking on the Use module URL link.

In relation to the new feature of adding multiple sites, eDirectory sitemgr dashboard was re-designed for better navigation of the multiple sites. If the sitemgr has more than 1 site, the home panel will display the configuration for each site. When the site manager has different sites a new dashboard will appear.

If the sitemgr wants to see the data of a specific site, he can click on the site name at the dashboard main table and the normal dashboard of the selected site will appear.

The home button panel was also optimized for better navigation of the sitemgr. Accounts, Sites and Support links can be seen on the top right portion of the home panel. while on the left side panel, the configuration buttons for most of the module settings can be seen, as well as the old navigation on the previous versions.

Adding A Site

1) To add a new site, go to sitemgr>sites and select add new sites. (this can be found on the top menu on the dashboard)

For this example, our main site name is “demodirectory.com” and we will add the new site called subdomain with the url address “subdomain.demodirectory.com”

The sitemgr needs to fill out the fields “site name” and provide a site URL. This can be any site name preferred and the URL should be valid. The sitemgr can choose which modules to add for the new site, except for the Listing module which is a default module and is already included. Click on the submit button to create the new site.

2) This process may take some time so DO NOT LEAVE THE CURRENT PAGE until it has finished loading. After the site has been successfully added, you will be redirected to this page:

When the site manager creates a new site, the support team will receive an email with the information to configure the server. The status is currently pending after the site is created. This is because the support team needs to configure your server before the new site will be activated.

The following settings will also be applied to the new created site:
SSL: OFF
Branded print: ON
Zipcode proximity: ON

If the sitemgr would want to change the setiings, the support team would have to be notified.

When a new site is added, the database is created on the same server that the edirectory was installed, if the site manager wants to change the server for the site, the support team will have to be notified so they can implement these settings for the next sites that the site manager will add. A dropdown will appear so the sitemgr can choose which server will be used to have the new site database.

Deleting A Site

If the site manager wants to delete a site, he can go to sitemgr->Sites and click on the delete icon.
Once a site is deleted, the data will be saved for one week, allowing the data to be restored by the support team in cases wherein the sitemgr accidentally deletes a site.

Enjoy the same features on your new site

The other configurations that are available for a normal directory in the sitemgr section are also available for a multi-domain directory. This means that each site created will have a different configurations and settings. They will have their own dashboard for the control settings.

Enable/Disable a review in a Listing Level

In this new version, the user can choose to enable or disable the review option on a Listing level. To do this, simply go to sitemgr>settings>modules>manage levels and check the corresponding box you want the review option to show on a level. (image shown here).

Tax option added

In the new version , the user can add a tax to the pricing in sitemgr. If the tax is enabled, the added tax will show in all the prices. To enable tax, simply go to sitemgr>settings>payment settings>tax and put the corresponding tax value. The tax value should be in percentage and the tax label can be specified in different languages. (image shown here).

To use the recurrent event, simply select the check-box “Recurring Event” when adding/editing an event. You will see four (repeat) options to use the recurring event, namely:

1. Daily

2. Weekly

By choosing this option the user can now select a particular day of the week for this event to repeat. The user can select any days of the week by simply clicking on the corresponding check-box.

3. Monthly

The monthly option has 2 types:
a. The user can select which specific day of the month the event will recur.
b. The user can select which day(s) and which week(s) the event will recur.

4. Yearly

The yearly option also has 2 types:
a. The user can select which specific day and which specific month the event will recur.
b. The user can select which day(s) and which week(s) of which month the event will recur.

A – To save bandwidth and keeping application responsible to user when the search results are processing, we defined only the first 20 listing results of any search to be displayed in the application. In the Listing screen you can get more than only 20 listings results by browsing page per page at the bottom of the screen (This option only will be showed if there’s more than 20 listings).

Q- It’s impossible to set search radius to zero.

A – To be able to process results based on a radius, we need at least one single value greater than zero. (In our scale this value is 2).
So, if you try to set the search radius to zero, that component will set the radius to 2.

Q – After I enabled the search nearby option to ON in the settings screen, I noted that some of my searches were taking more time to complete.

A – When user defines “nearby” to ON, the eDirectory for iPhone will try to get the GPS location from the device’s GPS hardware.
The GSP iPhone’s hardware can take some time to determine the user location due magnetic field interferences or bad weather conditions.
The eDirectory for iPhone will wait for a valid GPS location from iPhone hardware during 30 seconds at maximum. If no location were available you will be notified.

Note that this is an exception. Under normal conditions all GPS searches based will be made as soon as the iPhone GPS hardware responds.(which takes only 6 sec. at maximum).

With this mobile version, you can browse into the listings that are in your edirectory installation while showing the results in a Google Maps™ like screen or in a table-like screen.

You can determine if your search results will be based on your iPhone GSP location, or based on a specific zipcode.

You can also specify a search radius in which all your searches will be based.

1. To begin using the application, click on the edirectory icon on you iphone applications.

2. This recent mobile version has been re-engineered resulting in fast application loading and easy toggle between screens. By default, the user will see the following screen:

Get Directions
The user can now find the direction to a specific listing just by pressing one button. This feature is integrated with core Google Maps™ within iPhone and can be accessed from two options:

1 – From Google Maps™ screen, through the “information bubble”;

2 – From Detail screen by clicking the “Directions” button.

Search for a Listing
To search for a listing, simply click on the search button located at the bottom of the screen. The user can do the search query on the search page or on the listing pages.

Phone Dialing Integration
With this feature the user can directly dial the number of any listing from the detail screen. You simply have to click on the dial button beside the number on the listing information.

Upon clicking this, the system automatically calls that number.

Modifying your Settings
The user can modify the settings by choosing if the search results will be using the iPhone’s GSP location or on a specific zipcode. The user can also specify a search radius in which all the searches will be based on the particular point.

New Interface of About and Contact Us
The following images are the new interface of the About Us and the Contact Us:

1. To do this, go to sitemgr > settings > visitor profile.

If the visitor profile is enabled simply click the turn off button to disable this feature. You can enable this feature anytime by clicking the turn on button.

2. The sitemgr can also configure the visitor profile settings. Simply select any module settings and select the configuration you prefer and click the submit button to save your changes.

1. To add a visitor profile, click on the Add a profile link found at the Homepage of the directory:

2. This will take the user to the member profile page to enter the account information. The visitor should provide his/her email address and set a user password.

3. Also, the visitor will need to fill-up the contact information and click the submit button to complete the registration.

4. After successful registration the user can now modify and add information to his/her profile. To do this, the user can click on the edit my profile link, located below the profile page title.

5. This will take the user to the page to enter personal details, like user photo and twitter account.

6. The user can modify his/her account settings to chose which information can be visible to his public profile.

If the visitor wants to add an item (listing, event, classified, banner, article) he/she needs to upgrade the account to Sponsor (previously called member). The sponsors account can add items to the site.

The visitor could also log in to the site using an open id or a facebook account.

The user will need to enter his/her login details to associate the site with his/her Facebook account.

The comments section has the following icons:

If users have already added comments on your post, you can view it by going to Blog > Comments.
You will see the ff page:

To view the detail content of the comment, simply click on the comment.

To manually approve each comments, go to Settings > Blog located on the main navigation on sitemgr and check the box for this option and click Submit.

To use tags, do the following:

1. On the left panel under Blog, click on Tag > Add to start adding tags. You will see the following page:

On the title box, add the desired title for your tag. You can also add keywords for added search functionality.

2. To utilize the SEO function of your tag, fill up the following:

Optimizing Your Site Using Meta Tags

3. You can select in the languages available where you want your tag to appear. By default, the language is set on English.

Click on any language and fill up the text boxes to set your tags on other languages.

To add a new post, do the following:

1. Click on the module Blog on the left navigation panel . You will see a page like this:

2. Click on Add. This will take you to the following page:

Type in your desired title for you post. You could also add an image to your post by selecting the Add Image option below the title field. You can add one image for every post.

3. After adding an image you will see the content editor below.

You can start typing your post in the content editor. If you want your post to show in different languages then simply click on the language tabs located above the content editor and paste your post content there. (if the directory is using multiple languages).

We advise you to paste your post in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to view your post in foreign languages.

You can add keywords on your post for easy search optimization.

4. Add tags to your post by selecting any tags that apply to your type of post. Your post will automatically appear in the tag you select. (to learn how to add tags, click here)

5. Click on the submit button to save your changes. You will see a notification if your post was successfully saved. Click on the edit button to modify your post or the delete button if you wish to delete your post.

Compared to the previous versions, adding/editing an image is made convenient with the use of the add image form that is now integrated when the user add/edit a module (e.g. listing). The functionality of gallery is also improved and optimized. Adding an image is much easier with the use of an upload tool that pops up when the user will add an image.

the add image option can be seen on modules with this feature(e.g showcase listings)

1. When adding an image, click on the add image button.

2. After clicking this button a pop-up box will prompt the user to select an image to upload.

3. After selecting an image, the user can select the thumb version by dragging the cursor over the image. The thumbnail preview can also be seen on the right area.

4. Click on the submit button to save the changes. The user can now select the option to edit the image, add a caption or to set it as the main image. If the user set it as the main image, this image will be used on the featured item view, the summary view and the detailed view.

5. The Captions option is now on a pop up box that lets the user type thumbnail and an image caption for the image.

It has the following options for approval:
• All modules after payment
• Only new modules
• Only updated modules

It also has an option to send an email notification for the ff:
– New modules are added
– Modules are updated

To use this feature, do the following:

1. Go to sitemgr > settings >Approval Requirement and you will see this page:

2. Click on the module that you wish to modify the approval options and select from the options and click the submit buttons to save your changes (e.g. Articles module).

You can modify the approval options for ALL modules at the same time by simply clicking on the desired module.

Quicklist renamed to Favorites

In the new version, Quicklist is now named as Favorites. (image shown here).

Username changed to email address

In the new version , the label " username" is changed to " email address "

More bookmark options

In this version of edirectory, the bookmark icons are displayed in a box when the user click the share link, making it more easier to use the feature. (image shown here).

Map pointer color changes as the theme changes

In the new version, the pointers for the map changes its color according to the theme selected.

Adding listing to the categories

In this new version, the listing search result problems are fixed. The sitemgr can now add up to 15 levels of category. The listings can have up to 25 categories.

Adding / Editing A Category

Listing templates are changed to Categories

The listing templates are replaced by categories and is now available on all modules. (image shown here).

Abreviations changed to full words

Unlike before, the abbreviations used in the results and detail pages are now changed to full words.
"p " is now " phone "
"f " is now " fax "

Optimized mapzoom

In this feature, if the sitemgr or sponsor use the zoom function in map tuning, the changes that the user will set will be saved and can be viewed in the detailed pages of the specific module.

Adjusting An Item’s Map Location

Location Section

In this new version, a Location Section was added in sitemgr. This can be found in settings > Location. In addition, the sitemgr can now choose which location levels to use , and be able to set the default location. (image shown here).

Categories now with page title

The new version utilizes the SEO feature for the categories by adding a page title and friendly url function. (image shown here).

Themes in Sponsor(member) area

The Sponsor area will follow the themes and colors of the site theme.

Email Notification made easy

Now the user can easily configure the email notifications by simply clicking the check icon to enable or disable the feature. (image shown here).

Invoice Notification added

The Invoice Notification was added on the email notifcation options. Simply go to settings > email notifications > invoice notifications to modify the default settings. (image shown here).

Modifying Your E-mail Notifications

Bulk Update

For each module, the bulk update option was added so it is easier for the site manager to update items for each module. Simply select the module and click the link bulk update. (image shown here).

Select featured categories

This new feature allows the sitemgr to enable featured categories on each module to appear in the front end of the site. Simply go to settings > featured categories to modify the default settings. (image shown here).

To set up the payment gateway, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on Settings > Payment Gateway.
2. In the Currency Symbol box, type the character or the name of the currency that you want to use in the application.
3. In the Item Renewal Period area (image shown below), select the period of validity (Day, Month, or Year) that you want to apply for every module in your application. You will also have to set the number of days, months or years depending on what period type you choose.

   

   Notice that every time you activate an item, you are given an option to auto-fill the Renewal Date field. When you click on the option, the date that will appear in the field will be based on what you set in this form. Having a period of 2 months renewal period for listing, for example would mean that all listings will expire 2 months after their date of creation, and that their owners would have to renew the listing to continue making them visible in the directory front.

4. In the Payment Gateway area (image shown below), choose which payment gateway you would like to use by clicking on the check box just before the payment gateway name. Upon selecting a gateway, some textboxes where you can type your payment gateway credentials will automatically appear. Please provide the following information for this will be used by the application to connect to the payment gateway:

   

   1. Simple Pay – You have to type your Access Key and Secret Key. Click on the Recurring checkbox if you want to enable the recurring feature. A numerical value is used in the Cycle area. A Unit can be in terms of Months or Years. The Times indicates the recurring times (having a 0 value indicates unlimited recurring times).
   2. PayPal – Type your PayPal Email account in the box provided. You also have the option to enable recurring.
   3. PayPal API – Type the Username, Password and Signature for your PayPal API account in the boxes provided.
   4. PayFlow – Type your Sign in and Partner information in the boxes provided.
   5. 2CheckOut – Type your Sign in information in the box provided.
   6. PSIGate – Type your Store ID and Pass Phrase information in the boxes provided.
   7. WorldPay – Type your Installation ID in the box provided.
   8. iTransact – Type your Vendor ID in the box provided.
   9. LinkPoint – Type your Config File and Key File in the boxes provided. For security reasons, we did not include an option to upload a .pem file or Key File. You have to upload the Key file or the .pem file via FTP under the /members/billing folder in your server.
   10. Authorize.Net – Type your Sign in and Transaction Key in the boxes provided. You can also choose to enable recurring by clicking on the Recurring checkbox.
5. Click on the Submit button.

It is strongly suggested to inform your Members earlier about the scheduled maintenance of your site.

To enable the maintenance mode, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on Settings > Maintenance Mode. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Turn On button.

To edit the Maintenance page, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Site Content > General. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Maintenance Page text or the icon found within the same row.
3. In the Language dropdown list, select your current site language.

   
   We advise you to provide the page content for each language you have enabled on your directory.

4. In the SEO Center area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the Title, Description, and Keywords boxes, type the content values for the Meta tags. To know more about Meta tags, click here.

5. In the Content area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the HTML editor, type the content for the page. You can make use of the options on the top of the HTML editor for inputting the text field, editing the text with in it, adding smilies, spell checking, uploading videos, and many other features.

6. Click on the Save button.

The interface, like the old versions is divided into three parts – the top navigation panel, the left navigation panel, and the body. The menu in both the top and left navigational panel is re-arranged, providing a quicker way of viewing sub-menu. Think of it as a two-level menu with the main links that are displayed automatically as the first level, and the sub-links that can be viewed only by a mouse click or a mouse over as the second level.

TOP NAVIGATION PANEL

This contains the links that enable the Site Managers to set the options for the entire application. Major links are presented in tab menu. As the mouse moves over a link, dropdown menu pops up containing sub-links.

• Dashboard – This section is what we call in the previous versions as the Homepage. It organizes and presents information in a unified and easy-to read display. Through the Dashboard, Site Managers are able to view the Central Data List and the To Do Items, and search for information through the search panel.
• Revenue Center – Clicking on this menu will display some links like Invoice, Custom Invoice, and Promotional Code which in the previous versions appear in the left navigation panel (under Payment menu). Through the Revenue Center, you will be able also to adjust the settings on Pricing, Payment Gateway, and Invoice Information.
• Reports – This is where you can see the System Report and the Search Statistic Report that are vital in analyzing the activities taking place in the entire application.
• Settings – This is where you can control the behavior of the directory site. Changing the site theme, disabling module levels, modifying email notifications, disabling the claim, review and designation features are the most popular settings you can find here. The Google Settings, Location, and Language Center which in the previous versions appear in the left navigation panel are now under Settings menu also.
• Support – Clicking on this menu will enable you to access eDirectory Manual and Sitemap, and to send your feedback/questions to us. Some links like FAQ and About eDirectory which in the previous versions appear in a separate top navigation menu can now be found here.

LEFT NAVIGATION PANEL

The left panel provides a link to different options that Site Managers can use to manage all data entries and data flows in the application. The links are presented in a vertical menu with sub-menu that expands and contracts when you click on a menu header.

• Listings – Select this menu if you want to create a new listing or if you want to manage those existing ones.
• Events – Select this menu if you want to create a new event or if you want to manage those existing ones.
• Banners – Select this menu if you want to create a new banner or if you want to manage those existing ones.
• Classifieds – Select this menu if you want to create a new classified or if you want to manage those existing ones.
• Articles – Select this menu if you want to create a new article or if you want to manage those existing ones.
• Galleries – Select this menu if you want to create a photo gallery for a listing, event, classified, or article.
• Promotions – Select this menu if you want to create a promotion for a listing.
• Site Content – This menu, which in the previous versions appears on the top navigation panel, makes it possible for Site Managers to add text, images, or videos to some sections or areas of the directory front.
• SEO Center – This helps your directory build traffic by optimizing the site for search engines such as Google.
• Accounts – Clicking on this menu will enable you to manage all Members and Site Manager accounts.
• Import – Go to this menu if you want to upload a file from your local PC.
• Export – Go to this menu if you want to download records from your account for backup purposes.

BODY

The content of this area is dependent on the current menu selected by the Site Manager on the top or left navigation panel. By default, this area shows the Dashboard which consists of the following:

• Central Data List

Through the central data list, the Site Manager can have an idea on how many items that the directory front is currently supporting. Clicking on any of the links enables him/her to view another sets of data such as the total counts of items that are recently added, have expired and have been suspended. In addition to these data, the Central Data List features the Annual Revenue Calculator that automatically sums up all the monetary gains you had from your past transactions with your Members.

• To Do Items

The information within the To Do Items allows the Site Manager to easily manage the administrative functions. All the pending tasks of the Site Manager are explicitly defined in this page. It shows the number of listings, events, classifieds, articles, banners, reviews, claimed listings and custom invoices that are waiting for the Site Manager’s approval.
Clicking on any of the links takes the Site Manager to the corresponding section from where he/she can perform the necessary action or see the latest transactions.

• Search Panel

This is one feature that the preceding versions of eDirectory do not have. With this new functionality, Site Managers can find any information without having to browse each section and pages in their accounts.

• Frequent Actions

In this area you will find the most frequently accessed sections in your account. You may find it useful especially when trying to recall the administrative actions that you have performed recently.

Order By on eDirectory result’s pages

With this new feature of eDirectory, site visitors can now sort or filter search results by Characters, Last Updated, Date Created, or by Popularity. To filter search results, simply select the filter type in the Order by dropdown which can be found both at the top and bottom area of the results list in Listings, Events, Classifieds, Articles, and Promotions results pages.

Search by promotional code on Transaction History

eDirectory now allows Site Manager to search for a particular transaction record by use of Promotional (or Discount) Code. To use this feature, simply supply the Promotional Code of the transactions you are looking for in the search form. To know more about transaction monitoring, click here.

Username real time validation on add account forms

In this new version, the application validates username availability once a new Member types the desired username in the sign up form or once a Site Manager types the username for the Member or another Site Manager account that he/she is creating. It also issues warnings regarding the character type and length validity of the provided username in real time.

New site templates

In this new version, eight new site templates (or theme) are added to the list of site templates which the Site Manager can select from. These are Magazine, Beauty, Hotel, City Guide, Buyer’s Guide, Dentist, Environment, and Lawyer templates. To know more about site template selection, click here.

Popular Locations block displays those locations selected and suggested by the Site Manager, and not those locations with the most number of directory items.

To add a popular country, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Popular Countries sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Check all the Countries that you want to appear in the Popular Locations block of the directory front.
4. Click on any Save button found in the form.

To add a popular city, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu.
2. Click on the Popular Cities sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Country and State dropdown lists, select the country and state where the cities you want to choose are located.
4. Check all the Cities that you want to appear in the Popular Locations block of the directory front.
5. Click on any Save button found in the form.

Adding a Popular State
]]> http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/1144/feed 0 http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/1136 http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/1136#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:27:50 +0000 admin http://www.edirectory.com/manual/v7/?p=1136 Frequently Asked Questions (or FAQs) are a group of commonly asked questions about a subject along with the answers. In eDirectory, they are widely used to help users find answers or solve problems caused by misconceptions with the application. Site Manager displays them on the directory site for use as guidelines of non-technical users.

FAQs can be viewed in the FAQ section of the directory front, and Site Manager and Members accounts. The link to this section is often found in the top navigation panel or in the footer menus. The section looks like the one shown below:

In the previous versions of eDirectory, Site Manager can only add a new FAQ or edit those pre-defined ones by making the changes directly in the system’s database where they are stored. Now in version 7.3.00, an interface is added, giving the Site Manager an easy control on them.

To add an FAQ, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on Settings > Frequently Asked Questions. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add a new FAQ link. After doing this, a form will appear like the one below:

   

3. In the Question and Answer boxes, provide the details of the FAQ that you are adding.
4. Select the Section where you want the FAQ to appear by clicking on any of the checkboxes (e.g., Front, Members and Sitemgr).
5. Click on the Submit button.

To edit an FAQ, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on Settings > Frequently Asked Questions.
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding FAQ that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 3 to 5 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new FAQ. (Refer to the previous How To)

By default, the IP addresses of three of the most popular search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing are pre-defined in the application under this version.

Filtering robots does not mean blocking them from entering your website. The main job of the robots filter is to prevent interaction between these robots and the report generation triggers.

To set the robot filter, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on Settings > Robots Filter. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Robots IP List textarea, type the new IP address that you want to be filtered. Please add one IP address per line. You can use the full IP address (111.111.111.111) or a group of IP addresses (111.111.111.*).

   
   Some websites like http://www.iplists.com display the IP addresses of search engines’ robots/spiders.

3. Click on the Submit button.

The Events’ Start Time and End Time can also be 24 hours depending on the language the user chooses

Research shows that some countries prefer to use the 24 hours format when indicating time in web forms. Because of this, version 7.3.00 introduces the new time format for site languages like Italian, Spanish, French, and Dutch where a high number of users preferring the 24 hours time format are predominant. The forms in the application that has time fields are those used in adding and editing events.  To know more about adding/editing events, click here.

Breadcrumbs are added to the frontend

A breadcrumb or breadcrumb trail is the part of the navigation that shows you where you are. Breadcrumb trails are found below the search panel of directory front’s pages and define both the current location within the site hierarchy as well as primary pages above the current page.

New HTML editor is added

An HTML editor is a powerful tool that allows the Site Manager to quickly and easily edit and format a page’s content much like using a word processor. With the new and improved HTML editor, you can use a wide variety of features for viewing the text field, editing the text with in it, adding smilies, spell checking, uploading videos, and many other features. In this new eDirectory version, the editor is made available to forms used in adding/editing an article. In the preceding versions, the editor is only integrated to forms used in adding/editing site content.

‘Click here if you do not see your city’ available for all the modules

The quickest way to add a city in the preceding version of eDirectory is by use of the ‘Click here if you do not see your city’ option in the form used in adding/editing a listing. The presence of this feature in this new version is extended to other modules like Event and Classified.

New field on classifieds module: price

In this new version, a Price field is added to Classifieds module, allowing Members (and Site Managers) to indicate the price of the classified they are adding into the directory site. To know more about adding/editing a classified, click here.

Site Manager can choose if the Google ads will be images, text or both

With this new feature, Site Manager can select the format of the Google ads that appear in the directory front. In the preceding versions, the ads appear in text format only but now, there are 2 formats added such as Image and, Text and Image. To know more about Google ads, click here. (The link is currently inactive but will soon be activated)

Listing with a 100% discount code expires when the discount code expires

Unlike before, a listing now with a 100% Promotional Code expires also when the code expires. This happens even if the listing has not reached its Renewal Date. For this listing to be activated and visible again in the directory front, its owner must pay for it by use of another Promotional Code or by the regular payment schemes. To know more about Promotional Code, click here.

Authorize has 2 recurring options: per month and per year

A Recurring Payment is an automatic payment option where a Member authorizes the Site Manager to collect continuous charges from his/her credit card for the item that the Member adds in the directory. In version 7.3.00, two recurring options are made available – per month and per year.

All pop ups are changed to thickboxes

All pop up windows that appear when clicking on some links (e.g., email to a friend, write review, add to quick list, view promotion, etc.) are replaced by the so-called thickboxes (or lightboxes). There is actually no big difference between a pop up window and a thickbox except that the latter is more appealing to the eyes.

New site template: Financial

In this new version, a new site template (or theme) named “Financial” is added to the list of site templates which the Site Manager can select from. This template is particularly designed to Clients whose business revolves around investments, banking, credit, and money management. To know more about site template selection, click here.

New languages: Dutch and Italian

Two more languages are added in to the application – Dutch and Italian. Now, Site Managers as well as Members and site visitors can have the option of changing the language to any of these two by simply clicking on the flag icon located at the top right corner of the site, along with the existing language icons. To know more about changing the site language, click here.

Site Manager can setup global banners that will show up on all pages

When Site Manager and Members add/edit a banner, they are asked of what section in the directory front it will appear. In the old versions, they can choose to display a banner in General, Listing, Event, Classified, or Article pages. Now in this new version of eDirectory, the Site Manager (not Members) is also allowed to add global banners that will show up on all pages.  To know more about adding/editing a banner, click here.

Crop tool available for all image uploads except for banners

Resizing an image during uploading and submission process is now possible in this new version. The images that can be resized include the Site Logo, RSS Logo, Mobile Logo, “No Image”, and item images for all modules with image feature except banner.

All the modules have 5 levels of category

In the previous versions, only the listing categories can have up to 5 hierarchy levels. Event, classified and article categories are allowed to have up to 2 only. In version 7.3.00, all modules can now have up to 5 levels. What’s even more amazing about this feature is that site visitors browsing by a main category can now see the hierarchy of categories through this Browse by Category block added in the results pages. This block, like that of the Google map, can be hidden or shown instantly. To know more about sub-categories, click here.

New Social Bookmarking

In addition to the set of Social Bookmarking found on the previous versions of eDirectory, this version has added three of the most used social networking pages by users: LinkeIn, Facebook and Twitter. Thus, providing a wider range of options for promoting your page. These new feature can be found on the summary view (found in search results page) and detail view pages of some items in the directory.

New Browse by Location layout: clean and organized

Finding a city is a lot easier and faster with the new browse by location layout. It now has categorized buttons that you could easily switch open and close to find your desired location. No need to browse till the end of the page to find a specific location. This feature can be found by clicking on the view all locations link on the Popular Locations block of Listings, Events, Classifieds and Promotions main pages.

Advanced Search box can be closed

With this new added feature, you do not have to refresh the page if you do not wish to use the advanced search box. Just click on the close icon beside the text and it will close the advanced search option. Click on it again to open the advance search box. This feature can be found on the search panel found in Listings, Events, Classifieds, Articles and Promotions pages. To know more about searching, click here.

A color picker is added in the listing templates section, so now the Site Manager can choose the colors easily

Unlike on the previous version wherein you have to place in the color value manually, this new feature helps the Site Manager pick a color easily without having the need to copy and paste the color value. Just click on the color picker icon beside the text box and it will automatically place the color value. This feature is found on the listing template option on Site Manager account. To know more about listing template, click here.

The char-set was changed from ISO 8859-1 to UTF-8

Character set (or charset) is used in displaying characters in e-mail, web pages, and other places where characters are stored or streamed. Because UTF-8 is compatible with languages including Latin, European Languages, Arabic and even Japanese and Chinese, it is steadily becoming the preferred charset. In eDirectory version 7.0.15, charset is changed from ISO 8859-1 to UTF-8 to be able to support more languages that the Clients may want.

The Site Manager can refresh the Statistic Reports at any time

Viewing the Search Statistic Reports is faster and more accurate now that they are updated in real time. Unlike on the previous version, this new feature lets you refresh the Statistic Reports anytime.  To know more about Search Statistic Reports, click here.

The Site Manager can enable/disable the Google Maps feature

An added feature in the Google Maps section is having the Site Manager enable or disable the Google maps without having to manually remove it on the code. This provides the  Site Manager a fast access should they choose to use Google maps or not. To know more about Google Maps, click here.

The user can choose to show or hide the map on the results pages

Google Maps has been used by previous versions of eDirectory because of its unique functionality of providing web mapping service. It provides the site visitors an easy access and visualization of graphical locations especially on products/services that the Members offer. In this version of eDirectory, it has added a new feature. The user can now choose to hide the map on the result pages. This is done by simply clicking on the link hide map above the Google map. You can display the map again anytime by clicking the show map link when the Google map is hidden.

The Site Manager can choose the listing levels that will have promotions

Managing your listing levels is one of the new features you can use being the Site Manager. It lets you decide on what item levels you can offer to your Members. On this version of eDirectory, it not only lets you pick which levels to offer to your Members, it now has an added feature that lets you choose which listing levels will have promotions. This way, you can manipulate which listing level would you want a promotion to appear, and not only on the Showcase (default) level. To learn how to manage levels, click here.

Now eDirectory works with Amazon Simple Pay payment gateway. This new gateway works with Amazon Simple Pay Standard and Amazon Simple Pay Subscriptions (the recurring can be monthly or yearly)

This new version has included a new option for Members to pay for the eDirectory services they avail – the Amazon Simple Payment Gateway.  With this feature, they can utilize their existing Amazon accounts. The feature can be found on the payment options provided to them when they sign up or when they pay for non-free items. To know more about Payment Gateways, click here.

• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• French

In selecting the default language, take into consideration your place of operation, and your target market.

Two more languages are added in to the application – Dutch and Italian. Site visitors can have the option of changing the language to any of these two by simply clicking on the flag icon located at the top right corner of the site, along with the other existing and enabled languages.

Please contact us if you want to use a language other than what you currently see available in your directory.  The directory can hold as many as 5 different languages at a time.

To change the site language, do the following:

1. In the upper-right portion of your account’s interface, you can see the four flag icons such as the ones shown below:

   

   To see what language an icon represents, move your mouse pointer over the icon and the text showing the language will appear.

2. Select the language by clicking on the icon.

To remove the icon/s displayed on the upper-right most part of your account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Language Center menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   The Order column indicates the order of succession (or the arrangement) of the four flag icons displayed on the upper-right most part of your account, with English (0) being the first and Francais (4) being the last.

2. Click on the icon of the corresponding language that you want to remove. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Uncheck the Enabled option.
4. Click on the Submit button.

The following are the information that you will be dealing with when using the search statistic reports:

• Top 15 Searches by Keywords – the list and chart showing the top keywords supplied by the site visitors in the Keyword field of the search panel.
• Top 15 Searches by Addresses – the list showing the top addresses supplied by the site visitors in the Where field of the search panel.
• Top 15 Searches by Categories – the list showing the top categories selected by the site visitors in the Category dropdown list of the advanced search panel.
• Top 15 Searches by Locations – the list showing the top locations selected by the site visitors in the Location dropdown lists of the advanced search panel.

To view the search statistic reports, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Search Reports menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

In eDirectory version 7.0.15, the Site Manager can refresh the Statistic Reports at any time (image shown here). Viewing the Search Statistic Reports in this version is faster and more accurate because they are updated in real time. Just click on the Refresh Statistics Now link and the reports will be updated.

2. Select a period in the Month and Year dropdown lists.
3. Click on the Search button. After doing this, an area containing the reports will appear like the one shown below:

   

4. Click on the sub-menus to view the other search statistics reports. Each of these submenus represents the different sections of the directory front (e.g., Listing submenu for the directory front’s Listing section).

   
   General Searches sub-menu is for the Home, Promotions, Advertise With Us, and Contact Us sections of the directory front.

eDirectory is Google Analytics-ready. For you to be able to integrate it in your site, you should sign up for a Google Analytics account. Once you have it, poor performing pages can be identified, and you will be able to track where site visitors came from, how long they stayed and their geographical position.

To know more about Google Analytics, click here.

To enable Google Analytics, do the following:

1. Begin by signing in Google Analytics’ official website. Use your Gmail login access to do so. After clicking on the Sign in button, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Sign Up button and fill out all the necessary forms.
3. After the whole signing-up procedure, you will be provided with a Tracking code as shown below:

   

   You do not need to get the entire Tracking Code. The Account ID shown in the highlighted area (e.g., UA-104384-1) is the only information that we will be asking from you.

4. Sign in to your Site Manager account and go to Google Settings > Google Analytics on the left navigation panel. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

5. In the Google Analytics Account box, input the Account ID that you acquired in Step 4.
6. In the Google Analytics Options, select the location/s where you like to integrate the Google Analytics (e.g., Front, Members, and Sitemgr).
7. Click on the Submit button.

   Once you have correctly enabled Google Analytics, you should wait up to 24 hours for data to appear in your Analytics account. If it has been more than this given span of time since you enabled it, then we advise you to sign in your account to start viewing your website’s Profiles and Analytics Reports (image shown below).

   

eDirectory uses the Google Maps API to provide the site visitors an easy means of visualizing the geographic location on where their desired products or services can be found.

You are a site visitor, and you are browsing the listings by the category “Auto”. You are currently in the page shown below:

By referring to the Map found in this page, you are able to visualize where the product “Donna Auto Parts” is located. You clicked on the Listing Title to see the Detail View (image shown below) and you are provided with a more specific Map Location of the product.

Maps, like the ones shown in the example above are only available in listings (including promotions), events, and classified under Showcase level.

To set the Google Maps API, do the following:

1. Go to Google Maps API’s official website and look for the area shown below:

   

2. If you agree with the terms and conditions, check the option.
3. Type your website URL in the box provided.
4. Click on the Generate API Key button. After doing this, you will be given a Google Maps API Key as shown below:

   

5. Sign in to your Site Manager account and go to Google Settings > Google Maps on the left navigation panel. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

6. In the Google Maps Key box, input the key that you acquired in Step 4.
7. Click on the Submit button.

In eDirectory version 7.0.15, the Site Manager can enable/disable the Google Maps feature without having to manually remove it on the code (image shown here). This provides the Site Manager a fast access should they choose to use Google maps or not.

These dropdown lists appear in the forms that you fill up when you are adding or editing items in the directory such as listings, events and classifieds.

To delete a location, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on any sub-menu on the top of this page (e.g., Countries, States, Cities).
3. Do any of the following:
   1. If the location that you want to delete is a country, select the country name in the box.
   2. If the location that you want to delete is a state, select first the country name in the Country dropdown list, and then select the state name in the box.
   3. If the location that you want to delete is a city, select first the country and state names in the Country and State boxes, and then select the city name in the box.
4. Click on the Submit button. After this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

5. Click on the Confirm button to approve the deletion.

Popular Locations block appears in Listings, Events, Classifieds, and Articles homepages.

To add a popular state, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Popular States sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Check all the States that you want to appear in the Popular Locations block of the directory front.
4. Click on any Save button found in the form.

Your Members can also add cities when they are adding a listing. Because of this, it is good to notice how they choose to spell their cities. Why? It’s nice to have consistency on how your city names are spelled.  For example, you don’t want to have 4 unique cities:  New York, New York, NEW YORK, and NYC.  So when a Member submits a listing, see if you recognize the city.  Is it a new location for you?  Are they spelling it in all CAPS or lowercase? These are the things you need to consider.

To add a city, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Locations > Cities. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Country and State dropdown lists, select the country and state where you want to add the city.
3. Click on the Add button.
4. In the Add Region area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Region box, type the name of the city that you want to add (e.g., San Juan).
   2. In the Region-Abbreviation box, type the abbreviated name of the city (e.g., SJ for San Juan).
5. Click on the Insert button.

   The easiest and fastest way to add U.S. cities is to ask us to install our U.S. location database table. We don’t install it by default because it serves no purpose to have locations in your directory if you don’t plan on offering your services in those areas. It’s not also good for site visitors to use the Advanced Search to search a city only find that there are no products/services in that city.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the names of the city supplied by Members.

To edit a city, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Locations > Cities.
2. In the Country and State dropdown lists, select the country and state where the city you want to edit is located.
3. Select the city, and then click on the Edit button.
4. In the Edit Region area, do Steps 4a and 4b of the procedure that you perform when adding a new city. (Refer to the previous How To)
5. Click on the Update button.

Even without a Member’s request, the Site Manager can still add a state. It is up to him/her what states he/she wants to add to the application. Will the Members appreciate him/her having another state in the directory? Is the state he/she is thinking of adding adjacent to where the Members are located? These are the things that the Site Manager should take into consideration when adding a state.

Not all countries use the term states; some have regions or districts instead. If you want us to remove or rename the field State in the forms, please contact us.

To add a state, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Locations > States. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Country dropdown list, select the country where you want to add the state.
3. Click on the Add button.
4. In the Add State area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the State box, type the name of the state that you want to add (e.g., Alabama).
   2. In the State-Abbreviation box, type the abbreviated name of the state (e.g., AL for Alabama).
5. Click on the Insert button.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the location information that he/she supplied in the adding procedure.

To edit a state, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Locations > States.
2. In the Country dropdown list, select the country where the state that you want to edit is located.
3. Select the state that you want to edit, and then click on the Edit button.
4. In the Edit State area, do Steps 4a and 4b of the procedure that you perform when adding a new state. (Refer to the previous How To)
5. Click on the Update button.

Members need to request a location when it is not available because the Site Manager is the only person who can add locations to the application. You might ask why the Site Manager can’t just add a complete list of countries, states and cities. It is possible, but just imagine how much space it could consume in the database. Having so many locations there could make the query slow. You should understand that every single location that appears in Country, State and City dropdown lists are queried in the database.

Members usually use the Help section of their accounts to send their location requests. When a Member sends a request, the message goes directly to the General E-mail address set by the Site Manager in Settings > E-mail.

To add a country, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Add Country area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Country box, type the name of the country that you want to add (e.g., Canada).
   2. In the Country-Abbreviation box, type the abbreviated name of the country (e.g., CA for Canada).
4. Click on the Insert button.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the location information that he/she supplied in the adding procedure.

To edit a country, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Locations menu.
2. Select the country that you want to edit, and then click on the Edit button.
3. In the Edit Country area, do Steps 3a and 3b of the procedure that you would perform when adding a new country. (Refer to the previous How To)
4. Click on the Update button.

When a Member receives a promotional code, he/she can use it on the next item that he/she will create. The only thing to do is to put it in the Promotional Code field of the form used when adding a new item in the directory. During a payment procedure, eDirectory application automatically reduces the price of those items with promotional code. The amount deducted from the original price depends on the reduction percentage or value specified in the promotional code.

A listing with a 100% Promotional Code expires when it reaches the Renewal Date set by the Manager during activation.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, a listing with a 100% Promotional Code expires also when the code expires. This happens even if the listing has not reached its Renewal Date. For this listing to be activated and visible again in the directory front, its owner must pay for it by use of another Promotional Code or by the regular payment schemes.

To create a promotional code, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Promotional Code. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click Add on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Code box, type the character combination that you want to use as promotional code. You may use a series of numbers, letters or a combination of both (e.g., 00638, abcde, rh134d).
4. In the Expiration date box, type the date when the promotional code will expire.
5. Select the Type of amount that you want the application to use to compute for the price reduction of the item that will use this promotional code.
6. If the type that you chose in Step 4 is percentage, input a value in the range of 1-100 in the Amount box. If you chose fixed value, input a value equivalent to any amount in your currency.
7. Select the item type/s where Members can use the promotional code (e.g., Listing).
8. Select whether a Member can use the promotional code more than once.

In the “Beauty and Fitness” category, you might want to have separate, subordinate categories for Beauty Salons, Gyms, Massage, and Spas.

Listing categories can have up to 5 hierarchy levels while event, classified and article categories are allowed to have up to 2 only.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, all modules can have up to 5 levels. What’s even more amazing about this feature is that site visitors browsing by a main category can now see the hierarchy of categories through this Browse by Category block added in the results pages. This block, like that of the Google map, can be hidden or shown instantly.

To create a sub-category, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Categories menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on any sub-menu on the top of this page (e.g., Event Categories, Classified Categories).
3. Click on the icon of the category where you want to add the sub-category.
4. In the Category Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Title box, type the name of the sub-category that you want to add.
   2. In the Keywords for the search textarea, type the keywords with which the sub-category will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line.
5. Click on the Submit button.

If you have been operating your directory for some time and your Members have paid you to have their items in your site under a specific category, they will not be happy if you remove the category without warning. You may want to state in the Terms of Use that you are in legal position to delete a category without prior notice to the Members. Terms of Use are the set of rules you set up in the Site Content area. A site visitor who wants to become a Member must agree with the Terms of Use before he/she can complete the signing up procedure.

To delete a category, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Categories menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on any sub-menu on the top of this page (e.g., Event Categories, Classified Categories).
3. Click the icon of the corresponding category that you want to delete. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

4. Click on the Submit button to approve the deletion.

If you want the Members and the site visitors to be able to quickly access all of the directory’s listings related to travel, you could create a listing category called “Travel”. When a Member (or another Site Manager) adds a listing to the directory, he/she can assign it to the “Travel” category. On the other side, the site visitors can browse through this category in the directory front to see all of the available listings that are under this classification.

Determining the categories is one of the most important responsibilities of the Site Manager.  With the categories he/she selects, he/she is telling the Members and site visitors what kind of website he/she has and what type of business he/she is operating.

You may find it easiest to keep your category names simple.  If you have too many categories, your site visitors may become overwhelmed.  Site visitors that don’t know where to start and don’t know what to do when they visit a website often go elsewhere.  This is true for both your Members and site visitors.  If your site visitors can’t quickly and easily find the information they are seeking, your Members will recognize this and opt not to post on your directory. Name your categories thoughtfully as your business will be built upon them.

While eDirectory allows the Site Manager and Members to associate a listing, event or article with up to 5 categories, other item types have unique characteristics when using categories.  For instance, a classified is only allowed to be associated with 1 category. A banner, on the other hand is not allowed to be associated with any category but every time you add one, the application asks you to specify which listing, event, article, and classified category or sub-category you wish your banner to appear within.

To add a new category, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Categories menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on any sub-menu on the top of this page (e.g., Event Categories, Classified Categories).
3. Click on the Add New Category link.
4. In the Category Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Title box, type the name of the category that you want to add (e.g., Technology).
   2. In the Keywords for the search textarea, type the keywords with which the category will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line.

      If you have a category named “Automobiles”, you may wish to add keywords to this category such as Autos, Auto, Cars, Car, Trucks, Truck, SUV, etc. These keywords will help your site visitors find listings under this classification.

5. Click on the Submit button.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the information that he/she supplied in the adding procedure.

To edit a category, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Categories menu.
2. Click on any sub-menu on the top of this page (e.g., Event Categories, Classified Categories).
3. Click the  icon of the corresponding category that you want to edit.
4. Do Steps 4 and 5 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new category. (Refer to the previous How To)

In eDirectory, the export feature is used by the Site Manager when he/she wants to have local copies of some data in his/her account for backup purposes. Unlike the import feature that is only limited to listings, export is available to the following:

• Listings
• Events
• Banners
• Classifieds
• Articles
• Categories
• Locations
• Accounts
• Email Lists
• Payment Records

Most files for export are in XLS format. But for files containing listings, e-mail lists, or payment records, the format can be CSV.

To export data, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Import/Export Data > Export Data. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. To export listings in CSV format:
   1. Click on the Listing Export (CSV File) link. After doing this a page will appear like the one shown below:

      

   2. Hit the Click to start the process link.
3. To export listings, events, banners, classifieds, articles or categories in XLS format: Click on the corresponding link (e.g., Save events to an xls file).
4. To export the e-mail lists:
   1. Click on the Generate E-mail Lists link. After doing this a form will appear like the one shown below:

      

   2. Select the option to filter which e-mails will be exported from the Listing module (e.g., All, By Category, By Location).

      
      E-mail list is the collection of e-mail addresses obtained from the Listing Module.

   3. Click on the Submit button.

Among all the data that can be exported by the Site Manager, the payment record is considered to be the most important. It is because this record holds all information about the Site Manager’s past and present transactions with different Members.

To export a payment record, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Import/Export Data menu.
2. Click on the Payment Records sub-menu on the top of the page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. To export only the transaction that you had/have with a particular Member:
   1. Hit the Click here to select an account link.
   2. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   3. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
4. In the Start Date and End Date boxes, provide the period that you want to be covered in the payment record.
5. Select the Record Type.
6. Select the Delimiter or the punctuation character that will be used in separating the data contained in the record.
7. Click on the Submit button.

In eDirectory, the import feature is used by the Site Manager when he/she wants to get some files in his/her local PC and bring them inside his/her account. Normally, these files contain a long series of listings and the main reason why they are imported is to save time. Using the import feature, it is easier to populate the directory with many listings without needing to add listings one by one. Just imagine how much time could be lost if the Site Manager adds listings which are already produced in another application (e.g., MS Excel).

For a file to be imported in to eDirectory, it needs to be in CSV format. CSV (short for Comma Separated Values) is a common and simple file format that is often used for moving tabular data between a database and a spreadsheet application.

Since some users have a hard time creating and importing CSV files (due to lack of experience), we will teach you some techniques on how to create and import one. Just follow the procedures we provided below.

To create a CSV file, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Import/Export Data menu.  After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Download sample CSV file in eDirecory Format button. Then, save the file to your local PC.

   You need the sample file because that is where you will create your own. Editing the sample file is the method that we advise you to take for this will save your time and help you avoiding mistakes.

3. Open the file in a spreadsheet application (preferably MS Excel).
4. Do the necessary changes in the file. Please do not change anything in the header row. Also, use all columns even if fields are blank.
5. Once you are done editing the file, save it and prepare yourself for the next procedure.

Before you perform the import process, it is best if you will change (or at least check) the Import Settings first. Why? Through the settings, you can pre-set the properties (e.g., Status, Level and Owner) of the listings that you will import.

To change the Import Settings, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Import/Export Data menu.
2. Click on the Import Settings sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. To auto-activate the listings that you will be importing: Check the Enable all imported listings as Active option.

   
   We recommend using this option if you want the imported listings to be visible in the directory front right away after the import process.

4. To set a level for those listings that do not have it in the CSV file: Select the level (e.g., Free, Basic, etc.) in the dropdown list provided.
5. To set an owner for those listings that do not have it in the CSV file:
   1. Check the Import listings to the same account option.
   2. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   3. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
6. Click on the Submit button.

To import the CSV file, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Import/Export Data menu. After doing this, look for the area shown below:

   

2. Click on the Browse button to select the CSV file that you saved earlier on your local PC.
3. Click on the Import This File button.

   
   To know if the file has been imported successfully, click on the Import Log sub-menu on the top of the page. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   If the Status of the file that you imported is Pending, it means that the application is still processing the import. If it’s Finished, it means that the listings contained in the file have been added already in the Listing Module.

Common Problems When Importing

If you’ve been using the software for quite some time already, you will agree that the import tool is the feature of eDirectory that you find most useful when you’re dealing with data transfer. You use this feature to bring bulk data into your Site Manager account and to make them available in the frontend of your site in the quickest way possible. Speed and the ability to work with other data-producing applications are what make this feature very unique and helpful.

Like any other softwares, eDirectory’s import tool has also its limitations. Arca Solutions, the maker of eDirectory recognizes this fact and it is continuously finding and developing ways to innovate the said feature and to make it a more reliable and easy-to-use tool.

Click here to see the checklist that you can use to avoid experiencing some of the common reported problems when importing.

here is a video tutorial of how you can import a Listing in sitemgr.

Note: The video is best viewed in fullscreen mode

After a custom invoice is created, it is sent to the Member’s Account to inform him/her of the amount to be paid. The amount can then be settled using the enabled payment methods.

When a custom invoice is sent to a Member account, a notification is also sent to the Member’s e-mail address informing him/her that the invoice is ready for payment.

To create a custom invoice, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Create an Invoice. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add a new Invoice link.
3. In the Custom Invoice Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. Hit the Click here to select an account link to search for the Member for whom the invoice is created.
   2. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   3. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
   4. In the Title box, provide a title for the invoice.
4. In the Custom Invoice Items area (image shown below), type the item names and their equivalent prices that you will be collecting from the recipient of this invoice.

   

5. Click on the Continue To Send By Email button. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   
   At this point, the invoice is already added in the custom invoice records. You can choose to send it later, or you can continue doing the next steps to send it now.

6. Hit the Click Here To Send This Custom Invoice button. After doing this a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

7. Click on the Send button.

When the Member (or the recipient of the invoice) pays the amount stated in the custom invoice, a transaction record will be added in the Site Manager account. At the same time, the custom invoice record’s status will change from Sent to Paid.

Custom invoice records can be viewed by clicking on Payment > Create an Invoice in the left navigation panel.

• Listings in Basic, Premium, and Showcase levels
• Events in Premium, and Showcase levels
• Classifieds in Basic, Premium, and Showcase levels
• Articles
• Banners in Top, Bottom, Featured, and Sponsored Links levels

The names and prices of the levels may vary, depending on what the Site Manager set in Settings > Manage Levels.

Payment can be done by using any of the methods below:

• By Credit card – a Member who selects this method is asked to fill out the electronic payment forms
• By PayPal – a Member who selects this method is redirected to the PayPal website where the electronic payment forms to be filled out are located
• Print Invoice and Mail a Check – a Member who selects this method must print off the invoice and mail the payment check to the address specified on the invoice.

Basically, there are two kinds of transaction in eDirectory: online payment transactions, and invoice transactions. The difference between the two is explained below:

• Online Payment Transaction – This occurs when a Member selects Credit Card or Payment Gateway as his/her preferred payment method. Upon completion of the electronic payment forms, an online transaction record will be added in the Site Manager and Member accounts. A transaction record usually contains information such as Transaction ID, Status, Payment Type, Amount, Date, Member Account, IP Address, Notes, and the breakdown of what items are purchased. No credit card or payment gateway account information is saved in the Site Manager and Member accounts because this kind of information goes directly to the payment processor.
• Invoice Transaction – This occurs when a Member prefers to have the payment check mailed to the Site Manager. The Member knows the total amount to pay through the invoice generated in his/her account. Upon completion of this transaction, an invoice record will be added in the Site Manager and Member accounts. An invoice record usually contains information such as Invoice ID, Status, Amount, Issuing Date, Expiry Date, Payment Date, Member Account, IP Address, and the breakdown of what items are purchased.

Important notes to consider when monitoring transactions

• When the Site Manager receives a payment check from an invoice transaction, one important thing that he/she should do is to change the Status of the invoice record indicating that the payment has been received. After changing the Status, he/she also needs to activate the item/s covered in the transaction. For Online Payment Transactions, changing the status of online transaction record is not required since the only records added to the Site Manager account are those that have been successfully processed by the bank or payment gateway.
• When the Site Manager receives a payment from credit card or payment gateway, one thing that he/she should do is to activate the item/s covered in the transaction.  The reason is because these items whose payment has been successfully processed by the bank or payment gateway do not get automatically activated.

To learn how to activate an item, click here.

To change the status of an invoice record, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Invoice History. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Search sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Invoice id box, type the invoice id found in the memo section of the Check that you have received.

   
   You need not fill out every field in this form. The search function will work even if you provide only the Invoice id.

In eDirectory version 7.4.00, a Promotional (or Discount) Code field is added in the search form of both Invoice and Transaction History (image shown here). To use this feature, simply supply the Promotional Code of the transactions you are looking for in the box provided.

4. Click on the Search button. After doing this, the result will be displayed on the bottom area of the page.

   

5. Click on the Pending Status of the invoice record. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

6. In the Status dropdown list, select Received.
7. Click on the Submit button.

To login to a Member account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Accounts > Members Accounts. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the icon of the corresponding account that you want to view. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Login link (highlighted in the image above).

Normally, the Site Manager looks for a specific Member account when he/she wants to see the Member’s account details, to see what items a Member owns, and what transactions that Member has made.

To find a specific account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Accounts menu. Then, click on Members Accounts or Site Manager Accounts submenu under it. After selecting any of these, a page will appear similar to the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Search sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below.

   

3. In the Username box, type the Login ID of the account owner.
4. Click on the Search button to see the results of your search.

   
   After clicking the button, you may want to click on the Username to see all the information associated with the account.

• Account and contact information (e.g., Username, Password, First Name, Last Name, etc.)
• Items created by the account owner

Transaction and invoice records involving the account owner are not removed in the application after the deletion procedure.

We suggest adding information to your Members’ Terms of Use to inform the Members on how long you will keep their Member accounts if they become inactive in the site. Terms of Use are a set of rules which are set up by the Site Owner in the Site Content area. A site visitor who wants to become a Member must agree with the Terms of Use before he/she can complete the signing up procedure.

To delete an account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Accounts menu. Then, click on Members Accounts or Site Manager Accounts submenu under it. After selecting any of these, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the  icon of the corresponding account that you want to delete. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Submit button.

Creating a new account does not mean sharing all your privileges as a Site Manager. You can set restrictions or limitations on what areas the other Site Manager can access.

To add a Site Manager account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Accounts > Site Manager Accounts. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Site Manager Account Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Username box, type the Login ID that you want to assign to the other Site Manager.
   2. In the Password box, type the password you want. Password strength tells you if the password you input is weak or strong.
   3. Retype your new password.

In eDirectory version 7.4.00, a username real time validation is added in the Username field of this form (image shown here). The application validates username availability once the Site Manager types the username for the Site Manager account that he/she is creating. It also issues warnings regarding the character type and length validity of the provided username in real time.

4. In the Site Manager Account Contact Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Name, Phone, and E-mail boxes, type the contact information being asked.
   2. If you want the account to be accessed only in specific IP addresses, type the IP in the IP Restriction textarea.

      Internet Protocol (IP) Address is a unique numeric address assigned to every device connected to the public Internet. There are many online tools to help you quickly and easily determine your computer’s current IP address. One popular site to determine an IP address is http://whatismyipaddress.com

5. In the Site Manager Permission area (image shown below), check the modules and sections that you want to be available in the account.

   

6. Click on the Submit button.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the information that he/she supplied in the adding procedure.

To edit a Site Manager account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Accounts > Site Manager Accounts.
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding account that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 3 to 6 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new account. (Refer to the previous How To)

Aside from signing up which is performed by Members, there is another way of creating a Member account and this time it is performed by the Site Manager. Through the Site Manager account, adding, editing, deleting and viewing of Member accounts are made possible.

To add a Member account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Accounts menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Account Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Username box, type the Login ID that you want to assign to the Member. You need not provide the Password because the application generates one automatically.
   2. Check the Password is going to be sent to Member E-mail Address option.

In eDirectory version 7.4.00, a username real time validation is added in the Username field of this form (image shown here). The application validates username availability once the Site Manager types the username for the Member account that he/she is creating. It also issues warnings regarding the character type and length validity of the provided username in real time.

4. In the Contact Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Language dropdown list, specify the language that the Member prefers. He/she can then receive e-mail notifications from the directory in the language specified.

      A Member receives an e-mail notification when he/she performs an important action in his/her account or in the directory front. (To know more about e-mail notifications, click here)

   2. In the First Name, Last Name, Company, Address Line1, Address Line2, City, State, Postal Code, Country, Phone, Fax, E-mail, and URL boxes, provide the information being asked.

      We advise you to double check the E-mail that you provide because that is where the Member’s assigned sign-in access will be sent.. When the member has his/her personal website, you can also put the website address in the URL box for reference purposes.

5. Click on the Submit button.

   All information you provided in the form (except the Username) can be edited by the Member (or the account owner) in his/her own account later on. Also, the information will not appear anywhere in the directory front and will only be visible to you and the Member.

Editing can be performed by the Site Manager when he/she wants to change the information that he/she supplied in the adding procedure.

To edit a Member account, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the Accounts menu.
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding account that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 3 to 5 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new account. (Refer to the previous How To)

Signing Up

A Meta tag is a hidden tag that lives in the <head> of an HTML document. It is used to supply additional information about the HTML document. To view a sample Meta tag code, right-click on any page of the directory front, and select View Source or View Page Source option. After doing this, the source code (image shown below) will be automatically opened in an editor.

Meta tags that are specifically designed to improve a site’s standing in search engines are the following:

<meta name=”description” content=”Dev Custom work Area”>

Use this tag to describe what your page is about. Engines that use it will supply the content of this tag when displaying a list of links.

<meta name=”keywords” content=”Dev Custom work Area”>

Use this tag to help search engines to categorize your site, and to allow people to find your pages more quickly.

What’s good about the eDirectory application is that it provides the interface where you can just input the content values (e.g., Dev Custom work Area). Once these values are submitted, the Meta tag code like what you see on the example above automatically changes.

The web pages that could be optimized directly in the directory application include the main pages (e.g., Listing Home, Event Home, etc), the category, the location and the item pages. The optimization procedures can be performed on the Site Manager account’s SEO Center, a white-hat method designed to make the SEO efforts easier without having to go into the actual software code.

Category page is the one you see when you are browsing by category in the directory front, while location page appears when you are browsing by location.

Another important thing to remember in optimizing is that most search engines look at the page title. Be sure to always have a relevant <title> on your pages (shown also in the image above). This will improve your ranking more than just Meta tags alone. Title appears on the top of the browser and window as shown below:

To optimize a main page, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the SEO Center menu. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the link that appears in the Homepage Optimization area. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on any sub-menus on the top of this page (e.g., General, Listing, etc.)
4. Select the page that you want to optimize by clicking on the Page Name or the  icon. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

5. In the Title box, type the text that you want to appear on top of the browser or window where the page is opened.
6. In the Description and Keyword boxes, provide the content values for the Meta tags that will be embedded in the page. Description can be in a sentence or paragraph form, while Keywords are commonly a set of words separated by comma.

   We advise you to have the Title, Description, and Keyword available in all enabled languages in your directory so if you change your default site language, they will also change in accordance with the language.

7. Click on the Save button.

To optimize a category page, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the SEO Center menu.
2. Click on the link that appears in the Category Optimization area. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on any sub-menus on the top of this page (e.g., Listing Categories, Event Categories, etc.)
4. Select the category that you want to optimize by clicking on the Category Title or the icon.
5. In the SEO Center area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Friendly Title box, type the text that you want to appear in the browser as the category’s friendly URL. Friendly URL is the feature available in eDirectory which allows Site Manager and Members to create search engine URLs.

      The Category “Computer” with Friendly Title “computers_for_sale” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/guide/computers_for_sale; and its Sub-category “Software Development” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com /listing/guide/computers_for_sale /software-development.

   2. In the Meta Description and Meta Keyword boxes, provide the content values for the Meta tags that will be embedded in the category page. Meta Description can be in a sentence or paragraph form, while Meta Keywords are commonly a set of words separated by comma.
6. We advise you to have the Friendly Title, Description, and Keyword available in all enabled languages in your directory so if you change your default site language, the title and the content values for the Meta tags will also change in accordance with the language. To do this, go to the Language area (image shown below) and do the following:

   

   1. Select the language by checking the option (e.g. Portuguese, Espanol, and Francais).
   2. Provide the information being asked in the Friendly Title, Description, and Keywords boxes as what you did previously in Step 5. (For now, ignore the Title and Keywords for the search boxes found also in the page.)

      Selecting a language in this area does not mean changing the default site language. It just means you are making the SEO information available in the selected language.

7. Click on the Submit button.

To optimize a location page, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the SEO Center menu.
2. Click on the link that appears in the Location Optimization area. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on any sub-menus on the top of this page (e.g., Countries, States, etc.)
4. Select the location that you want to optimize.
5. Click on the Edit button.
6. In the SEO Center area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Friendly Title box, type the text that you want to appear in the browser as the location’s friendly URL. Friendly URL is the feature available in eDirectory which allows Site Manager and Members to create search engine URLs.

      The Location “United States” with Friendly Title “united-states” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/location/united-states; and its State “California” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/location/united-states/california.

   2. In the Meta Description and Meta Keyword boxes, provide the content values for the Meta tags that will be embedded in the location page. Meta Description can be in a sentence or paragraph form, while Meta Keywords are commonly a set of words separated by comma.
   3. Click on the Update button.

To optimize an item page, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the SEO Center menu.
2. Click on any link under Item Optimization area. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   
   The page varies depending on the link you select.

3. Select the item that you want to optimize by clicking on the icon. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

4. In the Page Name box (under Friendly URL), type the text that you want to appear in the browser as the item’ friendly URL. Friendly URL is the feature available in eDirectory which allows Site Manager and Members to create search engine URLs.

   The Item “John Auto Repair” with Friendly URL “john-auto-repair” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/john-auto-repair.html.

5. In the SEO Description and SEO Keywords areas, provide the content values for the Meta tags that will be embedded in the item’s page. Meta Description can be in a sentence or paragraph form, while Meta Keywords are commonly a set of words separated by comma.

   We advise you to have the SEO Description and SEO Keywords available in all enabled languages in your directory so if you change your default site language, they will also change in accordance with the language.

6. Click on the Submit button.

Why You Need To Optimize Your Site, Submitting Your Site To Search Engines

Search engines differ in the algorithm or set of rules that they use in determining the relevancy of search queries. That is why the same search on different search engines often produces different results. The algorithms are considered to be top secret. No one really knows all of the algorithms. However, all major search engines follow some common set of rules.

Search engines are supposed to be able to find all the sites on the Internet. However, since new sites are being added daily, it’s risky to assume that the robots they use will find you. Speed up the process by submitting your site to the search engines.

To submit your site, you must sign in to different webmaster tools used by search engines. Assuming that you’re done submitting your site in a webmaster tool, the tool will provide a Meta tag content code that you need to embed in the homepage of your site. You do not need to open any files because the eDirectory application provides an interface in the Site Manager account where you can just put the Meta tag content code. After entering the code, you will be asked to authenticate the site using again the webmaster tool. This whole process is called search engine verification. The eDirectory application supports search engine verification for Google, Yahoo, and Live.

To acquire the Meta tag content code, do the following:

For Google

1. Begin by signing in to Google’s Webmaster Tools. If you do not have a Gmail account yet, click on the Create an account now link in that same page. After signing in, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add a site button, and type your site URL on the box provided. Then, click on the Continue button.
3. A page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   Get the Meta tag generated in this page. We advise you to copy it in any editor (e.g. Notepad) for later use.

   
   Please do not sign out nor close the window where you are currently located. You will be asked to go back here later.

For Yahoo

1. Sign in to Yahoo’s Site Explorer. If you do not have a Yahoo mail account yet, click on the Sign up link in that same page. After signing in, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the My Sites box, type your site URL. Then, click on the Add My Site button.
3. In the Status column, click on the  icon of the corresponding site that you have added.
4. A page will appear like the one shown below:In this page, do the following:

   

   1. Click on the By adding a META tag to my homepage option.
   2. Get the Meta tag generated in this same page. We advise you to copy it into any editor (e.g. Notepad) for later use.

      
      Please do not sign out nor close the window where you are currently at. You will be asked to go back here later.

For Live

1. Sign in to Bing’s Webmaster Center. If you do not have a Live or Hotmail account yet, click on the Sign up button in that same page. After signing in, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Web Address box, type your site URL.
3. Click on the Submit button.
4. A page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   Get the Meta tag generated in this page. We advise you to copy it in any editor (e.g. Notepad) for later use.

   
   Please do not sign out nor close the window where you are currently located. You will be asked to go back here later.

To embed the Meta tag content code in the homepage of your directory site, do the following:

1. Sign in to your Site Manager account and click on the SEO Center menu on the left navigation panel. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the link that appears in the Search Engine Verification area. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Google, Yahoo, and Live metatag boxes, put the meta tag codes that you acquired earlier.
4. Click on the Submit button.

To authenticate the site you added, do the following:

For Google

1. Go back to the browser or window where Google’s Webmaster Tools is located. If you have closed it already, just sign in again and look for the page shown below:

   

2. Click on the Verify button.

For Yahoo

1. Go back to the browser or window where the Yahoo’s Site Explorer is located. If you have closed it already, just sign in again and look for the page shown below:

   

2. Click on the Ready to Authenticate button.

For Live

1. Go back to the browser or window where the Bing’s Webmaster Center is located. If you have closed it already, just sign in again and look for the page shown below:

   

2. Click on the Return To Site List button. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Web Address that you want to authenticate.

   The period of listing and authentication of search engines varies. Most sites get authenticated and listed within 4 – 6 weeks. The reality is that most search engines are backlogged and slow to get listings added to their databases. Do not be surprised if you experience waiting much longer than this.

Why You Need To Optimize Your Site, Optimizing Your Site Using Meta Tags
]]> http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/651/feed 0 http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/648 http://www.edirectory.com/manual/archives/648#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:33:55 +0000 Content Writer http://38.127.130.63/?p=648 Search Engine Optimization (SEO in short) is a process of optimizing web pages or even a whole site for the purpose of making them search-engine friendly. A search engine is a program that searches for sites based on the words that you supply as search terms. Examples are Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves, etc. It is very important to consider how these search engines sort through the millions of pages they know to give the information seekers the sites that match their subject. Why? Because your site is affected! You should understand that these search results are not arranged randomly. They are ranked in order of what is the most relevant to the search. If you do not optimize your site now, you might be surprised later on to see how your site appears in the search results when a subject related to your site is searched. Even the easiest to use and most attractive websites will get few hits if they are not optimized for search engines.

You might be wondering why you as Site Manager (or Member) need to deal with these search engines. The answer is simple. Customers look for services, products or information on the internet. Assuming that they do not know a specific URL, they do the search through the help of different search engines. Normally, they click on a link on the first page of search results. If your business is showing up on the second, third or fifth page of search results, potential customers will never find you on the internet. Think of it this way: There are thousands of websites with the same product or services as yours. You cannot wait for your site to be buried deep in the search results where visibility is minimal.

SEO is considered to be one of the most effective web marketing strategies. Just imagine your site or webpage link being on top of the search results, and how this could benefit your business – more customers buying the Members’ items, more Members signing up in the site and more revenue generated. Do not waste this chance of promoting your products, services and the whole directory site. Do the procedures that we lay out for you, and see how your search ranking improves.

• Upgrade – raising the item to a higher level (e.g., From Basic to Showcase level). It is only applicable to items that have already expired or have not been paid and activated yet. The process of upgrading can be done either by the Site Manager or Member.
• Downgrade – lowering the level of an item (e.g., From Showcase to Basic level). The Site Manager and Members cannot downgrade those that have been paid and activated already.

Items that can be upgraded or downgraded are those that have Expired or Pending Status.

To change the level of an item, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type (Listings, Events, etc.) under Modules where you think the item falls under. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Level column, click on the icon (e.g., ) of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Select the Level that you want.
4. Click on the Submit button.

Before an item appears in the directory front, it should undergo the activation process first. Clicking on any of the links shown above takes the Site Manager to the corresponding section from where he/she can perform the process.

Clicking 22 listings to review and activate takes you to the Listings module page shown below:

Observe that all listing items displayed in the page above have Pending status. Status indicates the current state of an item. It can be any of the following:

• Pending – the item is recently added, and is waiting for an activation or confirmation
• Active – the item is activated, and is already displayed in the directory front
• Suspended – the item’s visibility is put on hold due to some reasons
• Expired – the item’s term of subscription has ended, but could still be renewed (For an expired item to be renewed, the member should pay again)

If you go directly to the Listing Module (on the left navigation panel), you will see the complete list of listing items in the directory including those with Active, Suspended, and Expired status.

Items with Pending, Suspended and Expired status are not displayed in the directory front. They should match first the requirements below before they can be set to Active:

• The item should be paid (items in free levels are exempted)

One way to check if an item is paid or not is by looking at the icon before the item name. Unpaid items have icon, while those that have been successfully paid and are ready for review and activation have icon

• The item should not have any invalid and foul contents

Previewing an item is the suggested way to proofread the content.

To activate an item, do the following:

1. In the page displayed above, click on the status (Pending, Suspended or Expired) of the item that you want to activate. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. In the Renewal Date box, provide the date of expiration of the item. Do this by clicking on the icon or the auto fill renewal date link.
3. In the Status dropdown list, select Active.
4. If you want to send an e-mail notification to the Member who owns the item informing him/her that the item is already activated, check the Send activation notification e-mail option.
5. Click on the Submit button.

For the items in Showcase level, there is another way of displaying the location information. This is by the use of a map. A map (like the one shown below) appears on the Detail View of an item.

Map locations are automatically set when the Site Manager or Members supply their location information. What’s amazing about this mapping system is that they determine almost any location with accuracy and speed. The eDirectory application also allows the Site Manager and Members to adjust the map locations and make them more accurate. This process of adjusting the map locations is called Map Tuning.

The map feature of the application is made possible by the Google Maps API.

To adjust a map of a posting, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on any item type (Listings, Events, or Classifieds) under Modules. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the  ­­ icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. To adjust the map zoom: Use the controls and .
4. To navigate on the map: Use the controls , ,  and .
5. To adjust the location: Drag-and-Drop the marker .
6. Click on the Save Map Tuning button.

Overall traffic (for Site Manager)

This is the traffic that the directory front receives as a whole. One suggested method to measure and analyze this traffic is by using the Google Analytics. (To know more about Google Analytics, click here)

The following are the information that you will be dealing with when monitoring overall traffic (Source: en.wikipedia.org):

• The number of visitors
• The average number of page views per visitor – a high number would indicate that the average visitors go deep inside the directory site, possibly because they like it or find it useful.
• Average visit duration – the total length of a user’s visit. The more time they spend the more they’re interested in your site.
• Average page duration – how long a page is viewed for. The more pages viewed, the better it is for your company.
• Domain classes – all levels of the IP Addressing information required to deliver web pages and content.
• Busy times – the most popular viewing time of the site would show when would be the best time to do promotional campaigns and when would be the most ideal to perform maintenance
• Most requested pages – the most popular pages
• Most requested entry pages – the entry page is the first page viewed by a visitor and shows which pages are most attracting to visitors
• Most requested exit pages – the most requested exit pages could help find bad pages, broken links or the exit pages may have a popular external link
• Top paths – a path is the sequence of pages viewed by visitors from entry to exit. With the top paths, you can identify the way most visitors go through the site
• Referrers - the host can track the (apparent) source of the links and determine which sites are generating the most traffic for a particular page.

Specific Traffic (for Members)

This is the traffic that an item in the directory front receives. eDirectory application automatically measures this traffic to give the Members an idea on how their items are performing in the site. It presents the gathered data in a form of a report. This report can be viewed both in Site Manager and Member accounts.

The following are the information that you will be dealing with when monitoring specific traffic:

• Summary hits –the number of times that the Summary View of a listing, event, classified, or article is viewed. A high number would indicate that the item is searched and browsed frequently.
• Detail hits – the number of times that the Detail View of a listing, event, classified, or article is viewed. The more details hits, the more you become prone to contact.
• ClickThru (for listing traffic) – the number of times that the Display URL link (e.g., w: http://www.realestatesample.com) in the Detail View of a listing is clicked.
• ClickThru (for banner traffic) – the number of times that a banner is clicked.
• Views (for banner traffic) – the number of times that a banner is displayed in the directory front.
• E-mail hits – the number of times you are contacted by the use of the e-mail form in the Detail View a listing.
• Phone hits – the number of times that the Phone link (e.g., t: view phone) in the Detail View of a listing is clicked.
• Fax hits – the number of times that the Fax link (e.g., f: view fax) in the Detail View of a listing is clicked.

A hit is the retrieval of any page or data from a Web server. For example, when a visitor calls up a Phone data, that’s one hit.

To view the specific traffic reports, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on any item type (Listings, Events, Classifieds, Banners, or Articles) under Modules. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   
   
   Read the discussion above to understand what the graph in this page manifests.

To preview an item, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the item falls under (e.g., Listings, Events, Articles, etc.). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the  icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Listing Preview area, select the Click here to preview this listing link. After doing this, a new window will appear containing the Summary View and Detail View (if there is one) of the item.

To find a specific posting, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the item falls under (e.g., Listings, Events, Articles, etc.). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Search sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

   The forms that you use to search for a listing, event, article, banner, classified, gallery, and promotion are unlike. Each uses its own set of fields (e.g., Listing Template, Listing Level, Category, etc.). For the sake of this discussion, we used the form in searching a listing. Please take note that the steps in this procedure may vary but even so, the idea remains the same.

3. In the Listing Title box, type the name of the listing that you want to find. You need not fill out every field in the form. The search function will work even if you provide only the Listing Title. But if your purpose of doing the search is to filter the listing records, then you can supply the Account, Listing Level, Listing Template, Category, Country, State, City, Postal Code, Status, Expiration, and Promotional Code depending on what you want to see in the list.

   When confirming or activating listing/s, the Site Manager selects Pending in the Status dropdown list. Doing this enables him/her to see those listings that have not been activated yet.

4. Click on the Search button.

When an item is deleted, the transaction record associated to it is not affected.

To delete an item, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type (Listings, Events, etc) under Modules where you think the item falls under. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the icon of the corresponding item that you want to delete. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Submit button.

eDirectory includes premade templates or the Site Manager may create his/her own. Existing templates may also be customized so that the Site Manager may make a universal change to the listings that use them.

If the existing template background is color blue, it may be changed to green. Once the template is changed, the application automatically pushes that change out to all listings with this template.

The premade templates span a range of format with a variety of business concepts. There are templates for Auto Part Supplier, Dentist, Doctor, Golf Course, Hotel, Lawyer, Real Estate, and Restaurant. They vary on the input fields they use. Additional templates may be created when the Site Manager wants to provide more relevant fields to what the Members normally post in their listings.

You may want to create a special template for Members who sell computers in the directory site.  By this, you will be able to provide fields such as Manufacturer, Processor, Hard Drive, and Memory to Members who create listings of this type.

To create a listing template, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Templates sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a new page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
4. In the Listing Template – Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Title box, type the name of the template that you are adding. Most often, it is a business field name (e.g., Real Estate). After doing this, the Page Name box will be automatically filled out.

      Page Name is text that appears in the browser as the template’s friendly URL. Friendly URL is the feature available in eDirectory which allows Site Manager and Members to create search engine URLs.

      
      The Template “Real Estate” with Page Name “real-estate” will be available through the URL: http://demodirectory.com/listing/type/real-estate

   2. Select the Enabled status to make the template available to Members.
   3. If you don’t want to make the template free of charge, type the price in the Additional Price box. Otherwise, leave the box blank.
5. In the Listing Template – Detail Layout area (image shown below), select the layout that you want to apply to the listings that will use the template.

   

6. In the Listing Template – Colors area (image shown below), type the color code (also known as hex) that you want to use for the Background, Border, Label, Text, Title Background, Title Border, and Title Text of the listings that will use the template.

   

   
   You can use image editors like Adobe Photoshop to get the color codes or hex that you need.

In eDirectory version 7.0.15, a color picker is added in this exact area (image shown here). This new feature helps the Site Manager pick a color easily without having the need to copy and paste the color value. Just click on the color picker icon beside the text box and it will automatically place the color value.

7. Select the categories that will be available for this template in the area provided (image shown below).

   

   
   Listings that will use this template can only select from the categories you pick here. If you do not select any categories, all categories will be available to them.

8. In the Common Fields area (image shown below), the text that you want to use as substitute for the field names displayed in the Field column. You can also provide some tool tips to help the Members know what data they should input in those boxes.

   

   
   Tool tip usually appears on the left of a textbox.

9. In the Extra Checkbox Fields, Extra Dropdown Fields, Extra Text Fields, Extra Short Description Fields, and Extra Long Description Fields areas, type the input fields that you want to add in the existing form. Examples of the input fields that can be added are shown below:

   

   
   The input fields in the image above are part of the form that Members fill out when adding a listing with Auto Part Supplier template.

10. Click on the Submit button.

Editing is necessary when there is something in the listing template that you want to change. Any change you make will be automatically applied to all listings that use the template.

To edit a listing template, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules).
2. Click on the Templates sub-menu on the top of the page.
3. Click on the icon of the corresponding template that you want to edit.
4. Do Steps 4 to 10 of the procedure that you perform when creating a template. (Refer to the previous How To)

When listings with no owner are activated and displayed in the directory front, the Members can adopt them. The process that a Member performs when adopting a listing is called claim. Every time a new claim is made, the application prompts the Site Manager by displaying a message (example shown below) in the To Do Items of the Home page.

Clicking on this message takes the Site Manager to the Claims page (shown below) from where he/she can perform the decision whether to approve or deny the claim.

Observe that the claim displayed in the page above has a Complete status. Status indicates the current state of a claim. It can be any of the following:

• Progress/Incomplete – the claim is unsuccessfully completed because the Member did not pay for the listing that he/she is claiming
• Complete – the claim is successfully completed and is waiting for an approval
• Approved – the claim is accepted by the Site Manager
• Denied – the claim is rejected by the Site Manger

Claims with Complete status are the only ones than can be approved by the Site Manager. Those with Progress or Incomplete status should be immediately denied to make the claimed listing visible in the directory front again. When a listing is claimed by a Member, the listing’s visibility is automatically put on hold. This avoids the Members to claim the same listing at the same time.

To see the complete list of claims in the directory including those with Progress, Approved, and Denied status, click on the Listings menu in the left navigation panel, then go to the Claimed Listings sub-menu.

To approve/deny a claim, do the following:

1. On the page displayed above, click on the Listing name. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Review the Claim Details shown on this page. If the claim is okay to you, click on the Approve This Claim button. Otherwise, click on Deny This Claim.

   After approving a claim, the next thing to do is to activate the claimed listing in the Listing module for it to become visible in the directory front. To learn how to activate a listing, click here.

Changing The Claim Setting

• a star rating
• a comment not longer than 5 sentences
• a Site Manager’s or Member’s reply to the review

This is how a review appears in the directory front:

eDirectory uses the Review feature to allow the site visitors see both the negative and positive feedback of customers to some listings and articles in the site. This feature should be enabled and configured first in the Site Manager account before it can be used. Once this feature is enabled, the Site Manager can manage all the reviews created in the directory front. By the word “manage”, we are referring to the privilege given to him/her to preview, edit, delete and approve reviews, and to approve the Members’ replies to the review authors.

Unlike Site Manager, the Members can only preview reviews and reply to their authors. They are not given full control over reviews to avoid having bias.

eDirectory application has the ability to trace the IP Address of a review author (the customer who created the review). Because of this, a review author with a static IP can only create one review for one particular listing or article.

Every time a new review is created, the application prompts the Site Manager by displaying a message (example shown below) in the To Do Items of the Home page.

Clicking on this message takes the Site Manager to the Reviews page shown below:

Observe that the review records displayed in the page above use different Status icons. These icons and their uses are discussed below:

– This icon shows up in the reviews that have not been approved yet by the Site Manager. When a review is not approved, it will not appear in the directory front and the Member (or the owner of the listing or article to which the review is added) cannot use the Reply-to-Review-Author feature of the application.

– This icon shows up in the reviews that are approved already. These reviews are the ones currently displayed in the directory front.

– These two icons come together as one. They indicate that a reply to the review author is made by a Member. This reply will only be sent to the review author’s email address if it is approved by the Site Manager.

– These two icons come together as one. They indicate that a reply to the review author is already approved.

To preview a review, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Reviews sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a new page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the  icon of the corresponding review. After doing this, a page containing the review content will appear like the one shown below:

   

To approve a review, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles).
2. Click on the Reviews sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. Click on the icon of the corresponding review.

To approve a Member’s reply to the review author, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type under Modules where you think the review falls under (Listings or Articles).
2. Click Reviews on the top of this page.
3. Click on the icon of the corresponding review. After doing this, an area will appear like the one shown below:

   

4. Click on the Send button.

Enabling/Disabling The Review Feature

The Promotion feature is only available for Showcase listings.

A promotion appears in the directory front as follows:

It shows up in the directory front in two manners:

• Within the Promotion section, the area where site visitors can find all on-going promotions
• Within the Listings section. Under a Showcase listing’s Detail and Summary View (example shown below), you will see a clickable “promotion” text. This lets the site visitors know that your listing is currently offering a promotion.

To create a promotion, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Promotions (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the promotion. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
4. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Headline box, type the name of the promotion that you are adding. The headline is the text that will appear on the top most part of your promotion. Be sure to make it descriptive and catchy.
   2. In the Offer (English) box, type the general description of the promotion. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the offer will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

5. In the Description area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, provide the scope and limitation of the promotion. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the description will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

6. In the Condition area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, provide the parameters that the customers should observe for a promotion to take effect. Do this also for all the enabled languages in the directory. The default text that you see there is the Promotional Condition Text that you set in the top navigation panel’s Settings > Promotions.

   We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the condition will also change in accordance with it the selected language.

7. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the promotion will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   
   We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

8. In the Promotion Date area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the Start Date and End Date boxes, input the exact date when the promotion will be valid. Do this by clicking on the icon.

9. In the Promotion Layout area (image shown below), do any of the following:

   

   1. If you want to incorporate all the details you provided above into a ready-made layout, select the Our HTML template based promotion option. Then, click on the Browse button to select the image that you want to use for the promotion.
   2. If you want to use a customized image with your own promotion details embedded on it, select A promotion provided by you instead option. Then, click on the Browse button to select the image that you want to use as your promotion layout.

      If you select the A promotion provided by you instead option, the details you provided above such as the Offer (Step 4b), Description (Step 5), and Condition (Step 6) will be disregarded.

10. Click on the Submit button.

After creating the promotion, the next thing to do is to associate it with the showcase listing that will use it. If you do not proceed to this process, the promotion that you have created will be useless.

A showcase listing can only have one promotion at a time. When the Site Manager deletes a listing with promotion, the promotion can be re-associated with the other listings created by the same Member or those with No Owner.

To associate a promotion with a showcase listing, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Promotion dropdown list, select the promotion that you have created earlier.
4. Click on the Submit button.

   
   A promotion automatically appears in the directory front once associated with an activated and paid showcase listing.

Setting Up Your Promotional Condition Text

The photo gallery feature is not available in all item types and levels. There is also no fixed number of photos that a gallery can hold. To give you a better idea of this, refer to the following table:

To create a photo gallery, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Galleries (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Account area, look for the Member who will own the gallery. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
4. In the Gallery Title box, type the name that you want to give to the gallery.
5. Click on the Next button. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

   At this point, the gallery has been created successfully but you still need to add the images that you want to display.

6. Click on the Add image link.
7. In the new form shown below, do the following:

   

   1. Click on the Browse button to select the image file on your local PC.
   2. In the Thumb Caption (English) box, type the text that you want to appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the thumbnail image in the directory front. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.
   3. In the Image Caption (English) box, type the text that you want to appear when the thumbnail image is clicked and viewed in a separate window. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      We advise you to have the Thumb and Image Captions available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the captions will also change in accordance with the selected language.

   4. Click on the Submit button.
8. A page will appear like the one shown below:

   If you want to add more images, click on the Add Image link and repeat Step 7. Otherwise, click on the Galleries Home sub-menu on the top of this page.

To add more images to an existing gallery, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Galleries (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding gallery.
3. Do Steps 6 to 8 of the procedure that you perform when creating a gallery. (Refer to the previous How To)

After creating the gallery, the next thing to do is to associate it with the item (listing, event, classified, or article) that will use it. If you do not proceed to this process, the gallery that you have created will be useless.

An item can only have one gallery at a time. When the Site Manager deletes an item with gallery, the gallery can be re-associated with the other items created by the same Member or those with No Owner.

To associate a gallery with an item, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on the item type (Listings, Events, etc.) under Modules where you think the item falls under.
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding item. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Select the gallery that you have created earlier (e.g., Dental Health).
4. Click on the Submit button.

   
   A photo gallery automatically appears in the directory front once associated with an activated and paid item.

To add a new article, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Articles (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the article. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
4. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Article Title box, type the name of the article that you are adding. The title is the text that will appear on the top most part of your article. Be sure to make it descriptive and catchy.
   2. In the Article Author box, type the name of the person who created or constructed the article contents. The author may be you or another person.
   3. In the Article Author URL box, type the website address that you want to associate with the author. This is ideal if the author has his/her own website and you want to display a link in the article. The URL should contain both the protocol (e.g., http, https), and the domain name (e.g., demodirectory.com).
   4. In the Publication Date box, provide the information that you want to appear in the directory front as the date on when the article is posted. Do this by clicking on the icon. By default, the current date is the one displayed in the box.
5. In the Image area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. Click on the Browse button of the Image Source box to select the image file on your local PC that you want to use for the article.
   2. In the Image Attribute box, type the text that you want to appear on the bottom of the article’s primary image in the directory front.
   3. In the Image Caption box, type the text that you want to appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the thumbnail image in the directory front and when the thumbnail image is clicked and viewed in a separate window.
6. In the Abstract area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, provide the text that will summarize the important points of the article. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the abstract of the article will also change in accordance with the selected language.

7. In the Content area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, provide the full-length content of the article. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the abstract of the article will also change in accordance with the selected language.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, an HTML editor is added in this exact area to replace the Content textareas (image shown here). With this editor, you can use a wide variety of features for inputting the Content field, editing the text with in it, adding smilies, spell checking, uploading videos, and many other features.

8. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the article will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   
   We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

9. In the Categories and sub-categories area (image shown below), select the category and the sub-category (if there is one) under which you want the article to appear. As you click on a category, the list of all sub-categories under it is displayed.

   

   You need to click on the Add link to associate the category or sub-category with the article. After clicking the link, the category or sub-category is automatically displayed in the Article Categories box.

   You need to associate the article with one or multiple categories and sub-categories so as to display the article under the specific categories and sub-categories to the site visitors. To delete a category, highlight the category or sub-category name in the Article Category box, and click on the Remove Selected Category button.

10. In the Promotional Code area (image shown below), type the promo code that you want to use for the article.  (To know more about Promo Code, click here)

    

11. Click on the Submit button.

    
    After submitting the form, the Site Manager still needs to confirm or activate this recently added article before it becomes visible in the directory front.

Editing is necessary when there is something in the article information that you want to update.

The Site Manager and the Members can edit an article whether it has been activated or not.

When a Member edits an article which is already paid and activated, its status goes back to Pending. This means that the Site Manager should re-activate it before it appears in the directory front again. Paid articles get pending after a change because the Site Manager still needs to verify the edited content to avoid bad words. Members don’t need to pay again; they just have to wait for a new confirmation.

To edit an article, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Articles (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding article that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 3 to 11 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new article. (Refer to the previous How To)

To add a new classified, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Classified (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Select a Classified Level (e.g., Basic, Premium, Showcase), then click on the Submit button. After doing this, a new form will appear.

   The form you fill out in adding a classified varies depending on the Classified Level (e.g., Premium, Showcase) that you choose. In the following procedure, we used that of Showcase level. This means that some fields and areas may not be present if you choose other levels.

4. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the classified. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
5. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Classified Title box, type the name of the classified that you are adding. The title is the text that will appear on the top most part of your posting. Be sure to make it descriptive.
   2. In the Contact Name, Contact Phone, Contact Fax, and Contact E-mail boxes, type the contact information being asked.
   3. In the URL box, type the website address that you want to associate with the classified. This is ideal if you have your own website and you want to display a link in your classified. The URL should contain both the protocol (e.g., http, https), and the domain name (e.g., demodirectory.com).

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, a Price field is added added in this form (image shown here), allowing Site Manager to indicate the price of the classified that he/she is adding into the directory site.

6. In the Location area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. Provide the information being asked in the following dropdown lists. If you do not find your Country, State, or City, we advise you to go to the Location menu in the left navigation panel, and add the new location that you want to see in the lists.
   2. Type your Postal Code in the last box.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, the option ‘Click here if you do not see your city’ is made available in this form. (image shown here). Clicking on the Add a New City link will enable you to instantly add a city to the application.

7. In the Image area (image shown below), click on the Browse button to select the image file on your local PC. This will appear in the directory front as the image of your classified. If you leave this area blank, the “No Image” will occupy the space allotted for your item image. (To know more about “No Image”, click here)

   

8. In the Summary Description area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea: type a brief description of the classified that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   Summary Description appears in the Summary View of a classified. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the summary description of the classified will also change in accordance with the selected language.

9. In the Detail Description area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea, type the detailed description of the classified that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   Detail Description appears on the Detail View of a classified. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the detail description of the classified will also change in accordance with the selected language.

10. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the classified will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    
    We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

11. In the Category area (image shown below), select the category under which you want the classified to appear.

    

12. In the Promotional Code area (image shown below), type the promo code that you want to use for the classified.  (To know more about Promo Code, click here)

    

13. Click on the Submit button.

    
    After submitting the form, the Site Manager still needs to confirm or activate this recently added classified before it becomes visible in the directory front.

Editing is necessary when there is something in the classified information that you want to update.

The Site Manager and the Members can edit a classified whether it has been activated or not.

When a Member edits a classified which is already paid and activated, its status goes back to Pending. This means that the Site Manager should re-activate it before it appears in the directory front again. Paid classifieds get pending after a change because the Site Manager still needs to verify the edited content to avoid bad words. Members don’t need to pay again; they just have to wait for a new confirmation.

To edit a classified, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Classified (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding classified that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 4 to 13 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new classified. (Refer to the previous How To)

To add a new banner, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Banners (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the banner. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
4. Select a Banner Type in the dropdown list. To see how a banner type appears in the directory front, click on the Banner Options link.

   

5. In the Order Banner area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   Select the type of order for the banner. You can choose between the fixed annual price (1st option) or the price based on the impression block. The difference of the two is explained below:

   - If you choose the first option, the price will be fixed but you can adjust the exact date on when the banner will expire.
   - If you choose the second option, the price will depend on the number of impressions that you will provide. (e.g., Setting 2000 impressions makes the top banner price doubled to 100.00)

6. In the Banner Details area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Caption (English) box, type the text that you want to appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the banner in the directory front. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the caption of the banner will also change in accordance with the selected language.

   2. Select the Section (or pages) where you want the banner to be displayed. If you choose Listing, Event, Classified, or Article, you will have the option of limiting the banner’s appearance to a Category page (e.g., Displaying the banner only in “Auto” category page of Listing)
   3. In the Open in a new window options, select Yes if you want a new window to be opened when the banner is clicked, or No if you want to use the same window.
   4. In the Destination Url boxes, type the website address that you want to associate with the banner. When a site visitor clicks on this link, he/she will be redirected to the website address.
   5. To use a script banner instead of a file: Check the Show by Script Code option, and then put the code in the Script box. Script code is used to display a banner from an affiliate program or external banner system. If Show by Script Code is checked, the next step will not be necessary.
   6. To select the file that you want to use as banner: Click on the Browse button of the File (English) box. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

      Banners always come with text. This is the reason why the application asks for four files, so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the banner displaying the text will also change in accordance with the selected language.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, the Site Manager (not Members) is also allowed to add global banners that will show up on all pages (image shown here). Just click on the option Global Banner to make a banner of this type.

7. In the Promotional Code area (image shown below), type the promo code that you want to use for the listing.  (To know more about Promo Code, click here)

   

8. Click on the Submit button.

   
   After submitting the form, the Site Manager still needs to confirm or activate this recently added banner before it becomes visible in the directory front.

The Site Manager and the Members can edit a banner whether it has been activated or not.

When a Member edits a banner which is already paid and activated, its status goes back to Pending. This means that the Site Manager should re-activate it before it appears in the directory front again. Paid banners get pending after a change because the Site Manager still needs to verify the edited content to avoid bad image and captions. Members don’t need to pay again; they just have to wait for a new confirmation.

To edit a banner, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Banners (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding banner that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 3 to 8 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new banner. (Refer to the previous How To)

To add a new event, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Events (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Select an Event Level (e.g., Premium, Showcase), then click on the Submit button. After doing this, a new form will appear.

   The form you fill out in adding an event varies depending on the Event Level (e.g., Premium, Showcase) that you choose. In the following procedure, we used that of Showcase level. This means that some fields and areas may not be present if you choose other levels.

4. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the event. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
5. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Event Title box, type the name of the event that you are adding. The title is the text that will appear on the top most part of your event. Be sure to make it descriptive.
   2. In the E-mail box, type the e-mail address where the event owner wants to receive e-mails from potential customers.
   3. In the URL box, type the website address that you want to associate with the event. This is ideal if you have your own website and you want to display a link in your event. The URL should contain both the protocol (e.g., http, https), and the domain name (e.g., demodirectory.com).
   4. In the Phone and Contact Name boxes, type the contact information being asked.
6. In the Location area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Location Name box, type the name of the venue where the event will happen.
   2. In the Street Address box, type the address of the venue that you supplied above.
   3. Provide the information being asked in the following dropdown lists. If you do not find your Country, State, or City, we advise you to go to the Location menu in the left navigation panel, and add the new location that you want to see in the lists.
   4. Type your Postal Code in the last box.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, the option ‘Click here if you do not see your city’ is made available in this form. (image shown here). Clicking on the Add a New City link will enable you to instantly add a city to the application.

7. In the Event Date area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Start Date and End Date boxes, input the exact date when the event will happen. Do this by clicking on the icon.
   2. In the Start Time and End Time dropdown lists, select the exact time when the event will start and end. Do not forget to indicate if it’s going to happen at AM or PM.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, the application introduces the new 24 hours time format for site languages like Italian, Spanish, French, and Dutch where a high number of users preferring the said format are predominant (image shown here).

8. In the Image area (image shown below), click on the Browse button to select the image file on your local PC. This will appear in the directory front as the image of your event. If you leave this area blank, the “No Image” will occupy the space allotted for your item image. (To know more about “No Image”, click here)

   

9. In the Summary Description area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the English textarea: type a brief description of the event that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

   Summary Description appears in the Summary View of an event. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the summary description of the event will also change in accordance with the selected language.

10. In the Description area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea: type the detailed description of the event that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    Description appears on the Detail View of an event. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the description of the event will also change in accordance with the selected language.

11. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the event will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    
    We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

12. In the Categories and sub-categories area (image shown below), select the category and the sub-category (if there is one) under which you want the event to appear. As you click on a category, the list of all sub-categories under it is displayed.

    

    You need to click on the Add link to associate the category or sub-category with the event. After clicking on the link, the category or sub-category is automatically displayed in the Event Categories box.

    You need to associate the event with one or multiple categories and sub-categories so as to display the event under the specific categories and sub-categories to the site visitors. To delete a category, highlight the category or sub-category name in the Event Category box, and click on the Remove Selected Category button.

13. In the Promotional Code area (image shown below), type the promo code that you want to use for the event.  (To know more about Promo Code, click here)

    

14. Click on the Submit button.

    
    After submitting the form, the Site Manager still needs to confirm or activate this recently added event before it becomes visible in the directory front.

Editing is necessary when there is something in the event information that you want to update.

The Site Manager and the Members can edit an event whether it has been activated or not.

When a Member edits an event which is already paid and activated, its status goes back to Pending. This means that the Site Manager should re-activate it before it appears in the directory front again. Paid events get pending after a change because the Site Manager still needs to verify the edited content to avoid bad words. Members don’t need to pay again; they just have to wait for a new confirmation.

To edit an event, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Events (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding event that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 4 to 14 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new event. (Refer to the previous How To)

Payment method is not applicable to listings in Free level.

To add a new listing, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Add sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. In the Listing Template dropdown list, select the template that you want to use for the listing. If you are unsure of what template to use, just select Default.

   Remember that in selecting a template, you should consider the type of business you have.

   The listing that you want to add is for the house and lot that you are selling. Since this is something related to land development, the template that we advise you to choose is Real Estate. By choosing this template, you will be given extra fields to fill in the directory site such as Number of Bedrooms, Price, Square Feet, and Agent Name, etc.

   
   Listing Templates are free of charge unless the Site Manager has specified a price. To know more about Listing Templates, click here.

4. Select a Listing Level (e.g., Free, Basic, Premium, Showcase), then click on the Submit button. After doing this, a new form will appear.

   The form you fill out in adding a listing varies depending on the Listing Level (e.g., Premium, Showcase) that you choose. In the following procedure, we used that of Showcase level. This means that some fields (e.g., E-mail) and areas (e.g., Image, Video Snippet Code, Listing Designation) may not be present if you choose other levels.

5. In the Account area (image shown below), look for the Member who will own the listing. You can do this by hitting the Click here to select an account link.

   

   In this same area, do the following:

   1. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
   2. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
6. To enable the Claim feature: Uncheck the Disable claim feature for this listing option. You do not need to select an account in Step 5 if you will be using this feature. (To know more about the Claim feature, click here)
7. In the Information area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Listing Title box, type the name of the listing that you are adding. The title is the text that will appear on the top most part of your listing. Be sure to make it descriptive. Most often, it is the business name.
   2. In the E-mail box, type the e-mail address where the listing owner wants to receive e-mails from potential customers.
   3. In the URL box, type the website address that you want to associate with the listing. This is ideal if you have your own website and you want to use it to promote your listing more. The URL should contain both the protocol (e.g., http, https), and the domain name (e.g., demodirectory.com).
   4. In the Display URL box, type the text that you want to display on the listing as link. When a site visitor clicks on this link, he/she will be redirected to the website address that you supplied above. With the Display URL, your listing could show “Click me for more info” and the visitors clicking on the link will be redirected to your personal site.
   5. In the Phone box, type the contact information being asked. Do the same for the Fax box.
8. In the Location area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. In the Address Line1 box, type your complete office address. If you want to use another, type it in the Address Line2 box.
   2. Provide the information being asked in the following dropdown lists. If you do not find your Country, State, or City, we advise you to go to the Location menu in the left navigation panel, and add the new location that you want to see in the lists. You can also add a city by hitting the Click here if you do not see your city link.
   3. Type your Zipcode in the last box.
9. In the Image area (image shown below), click on the Browse button to select the image file on your local PC. This will appear in the directory front as the image of your listing. If you leave this area blank, the “No Image” will occupy the space allotted for your item image. (To know more about “No Image”, click here)

   

10. In the Video Snippet Code area (image shown below), input the embed code of the video that you want to display in the Detail View of the listing.  Some websites (e.g., www.youtube.com) offer free video hosting. They generate embed codes and make them available to users wanting to post videos on other sites.

    

11. In the Attach Additional File area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    1. Click on the Browse button to select the file that you want to attach to the listing (e.g., a pdf file containing more information about your item).
    2. In the Caption box, type the name that you want the attached file to have.
12. In the Summary Description area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea: type a brief description of the listing that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    Summary Description appears in the Summary View of a listing. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the summary description of the listing will also change in accordance with the selected language.

13. In the Description area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea: type the detailed description of the listing that you are adding. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    Description appears on the Detail View of a listing. We advise you to have it available in all enabled languages so when a visitor browsing the directory changes the site language, the description of the listing will also change in accordance with the selected language.

14. In the Keywords for the search area (image shown below), do the following:

    

    In the English textarea, type the keywords with which the listing will be indexed for a search. Add one keyword/keyword phrase per line. Do this also for all the languages you have enabled on your directory.

    
    We advise you to have the keywords available in all enabled languages. This will allow the site visitors to search using keywords in foreign languages.

15. In the Hours of work area (image shown below), type the schedule when the listing owner can accommodate the customers’ orders.  Add one schedule per line as in the example.

    

16. In the Location area (image shown below), type the exact place/s where the listing owner can accommodate the customers’ orders.

    

17. In the Categories and sub-categories area (image shown below), select the category and the sub-category (if there is one) under which you want the listing to appear. As you click on a category, the list of all sub-categories under it is displayed.

    

    You need to click on the Add link to associate the category or sub-category with the listing. After clicking on the link, the category or sub-category is automatically displayed in the Listing Categories box.

    You need to associate the listing with one or multiple categories and sub-categories so as to display the listing under the specific categories and sub-categories to the site visitors. To delete a category, highlight the category or sub-category name in the Listing Category box, and click on the Remove Selected Category button.

18. In the Listing Designation area (image shown below), check the designation that you want the listing to have. (To know more about Designations, click here)

    

19. In the Promotional Code area (image shown below), type the promo code that you want to use for the listing.  (To know more about Promo Code, click here)

    

20. Click on the Submit button.

    
    After submitting the form, the Site Manager still needs to confirm or activate this recently added listing before it becomes visible in the directory front.

Editing is necessary when there is something in the listing information that you want to update.

The Site Manager and the Members can edit a listing whether it has been activated or not.

When a Member edits a listing which is already paid and activated, its status goes back to Pending. This means that the Site Manager should re-activate it before it appears in the directory front again. Paid listings get pending after a change because the Site Manager still needs to verify the edited content to avoid bad words. Members don’t need to pay again; they just have to wait for a new confirmation.

To edit a listing, do the following:

1. In the left navigation panel, click on Listings (under Modules).
2. Click on the icon of the corresponding listing that you want to edit.
3. Do Steps 5 to 20 of the procedure that you perform when adding a new listing. (Refer to the previous How To)

The Site Manager may want to create a page containing the Intellectual Property Policy and post the page link on the footer area of the Member accounts. This page after creating it will then display the same content for all Members.

To create a custom page, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, click on the Site Content menu. After doing, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

2. Click on the Custom sub-menu on the top of this page.
3. Click on the Add a Custom Web Page link.
4. In the New Custom Web Page area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the Page Name box, type the name that you want to give to this page that you are creating.

5. In the SEO Center area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   1. Check the Sitemap option if you want this page to be included in your sitemap file.
   2. Click on the get url link. After doing this, the URL box will automatically have the URL of your custom page.
   3. In the Title, Description, and Keywords boxes, type the content values for the Meta tags. To know more about Meta tags, click here.
6. In the Content area (image shown below), do the following:

   

   In the HTML editor, type the content for this page. You can make use of the options on the top of the HTML editor to format the text, and to insert an image, link or table.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, a new and improved HTML editor is added in this exact area to replace the Content editor (image shown here). With new this editor, you can use a wide variety of features for inputting the text field, editing the text with in it, adding smilies, spell checking, uploading videos, and many other features.

7. Click on the Save button.

To put a link in the body area of an existing web page, do the following:

1. In the top navigation panel, go to Site Content menu.
2. Click on any submenu found on the top portion of the new page depending on where you want to put the link. You can choose from General, Advertisement, Listing, Event, Classified, Article and Member. After clicking on a sub-menu, a new page will appear like the one shown below:

   

3. Click on the Section Name (e.g., Home page). After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

   

4. In the HTML editor, type any text (or image) that will serve as the link (e.g., Click here to know more about our company, Read More, etc.).
5. Highlight the text that you entered in step 4, then click on the icon found on the HTML editor toolbar. After doing this, a new window will appear like the one shown below:

   

6. In the Address box, type the URL of the page that you have created. The URL is provided by the system after you create a custom web page (e.g., http://www.demodirectory.com/content/about-us.html)
7. Click on the OK button. After doing this, the pop-up window will close.
8. Click on the Save button below the HTML editor to apply all the changes.